In recent months, Republican governors in Texas, Arizona, and Florida have been transporting undocumented immigrants northward to cities like New York, Washington, and Chicago. This included busing about a hundred people to the vice president’s residence and dumping them on the street.

Governor DeSantis took this despicable practice of using vulnerable men, women, and children as political props to a new low this week when he paid for two planeloads of Venezuelan migrants to be sent to Martha’s Vineyard. As has been reported, the Venezuelans that DeSantis paid to transport were actually recruited by a coconspirator in San Antonio, Texas, not in Florida. As reported, this coconspirator, “Perla,” promised the migrants transportation to Boston and expedited work permits. All of it was a lie.

Various news entities have described DeSantis as engaging in a “stunt.” That characterization is a troubling understatement of the gravity of DeSantis’ conduct.