In a surprising twist of fate, migrants who were flown to Martha's Vineyard from San Antonio by order of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis are now receiving temporary legal immigration status. Reports cite that several of these migrants, who were part of the 49 lured on flights by the Florida governor's administration, have been recognized as crime victims and awarded the ability to work in the United States, with deportation no longer a threat on the horizon.

The change in status is a result of the migrants' cooperation with law enforcement, as Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar certified they were victims of a crime, according to a statement obtained by The San Antonio Express-News. Lawyers for these migrants have brought allegations forward against contractors for DeSantis, accusing them of false promises that led the individuals onto the planes bound for the affluent island.

DeSantis, following in the footsteps of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, defended his actions, suggesting the flights were voluntary and that the migrants gladly accepted the opportunity to relocate to so-called sanctuary jurisdictions that allegedly offer more resources. In a contrasting narrative, the migrants found themselves on Martha's Vineyard, a far cry from the promised destinations of Boston or Washington that they were supposedly told they were heading to.

Immigration Attorney Rachel Self, who has been representing some of the migrants since their arrival in Massachusetts, expects more to receive "bona fide determinations" regarding their U visa applications, as stated in a KSAT report. These determinations grant crime victims the ability to work temporarily in the U.S. while awaiting the final judgment of their petitions, under a process designed for efficiency and providing protections during the wait.

As for the criminal investigation led by Sheriff Salazar, findings were sent over to the Bexar County District Attorney's Office in September 2023, but a decision on whether to present this case to a grand jury remains pending. The lengthy process of reviewing evidence and translating numerous documents from Spanish to English was noted as a factor in the delay. Nevertheless, the legal measures taken by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services signal some measure of reprieve for these migrants originally bound to Martha's Vineyard under dubious circumstances.