DeSantis notches win in lawsuit over migrant flights, but company that arranged them not in the clear yet

A federal judge on Monday dropped Ron DeSantis from a lawsuit after the Republican Florida Governor coordinated flights of illegal immigrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard in 2022. 

In a 77-page ruling, U.S. District Judge Allison D. Burroughs dropped DeSantis and various past and present staff members from the lawsuit over “insufficient facts” presented in the case. 

Allison said the court could not “ascertain what actions were taken by whom and therefore cannot determine which, if any, of those individual Defendants transacted business or caused injury here, leaving it no choice but to find that, at least on this record, personal jurisdiction has not been established.” 

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Still, the ruling leaves open the possibility for further litigation against Vertol, the Florida-based company that coordinated the flights for $1.5 million. 

Like his counterparts in Texas and Arizona, DeSantis started flying illegal immigrants to progressive states in late 2022 to highlight the Biden administration’s failing at the southern border. 

Martha’s Vineyard is famously known as a playground of rich progressives, including former President Barack Obama, who bought a multimillion-dollar house there in 2019.

DeSantis proposed Delaware or Martha’s Vineyard as a destination for such migrants, but his office explained at the time that they could also be sent “to other ‘progressive’ states whose governors endorse blatant violations of federal immigration law.”

“As we’ve always stated, the flights were conducted lawfully and authorized by the Florida legislature,” a spokesperson for DeSantis’ office said. “We look forward to Florida’s next illegal immigration relocation flight, and we are glad to bring national attention to the crisis at the southern border.” 

Fox News Digital has reached out to Vertol for further comment. 

Fox News Digital’s Jessica Chasmar contributed to this report.