Former Oregon-based company paid to move migrants from Florida

Kelly Doyle

2 years ago

A woman, who is part of a group of immigrants that had just arrived, holds a child as they are fed outside St. Andrews Episcopal Church, Wednesday Sept. 14, 2022, in Edgartown, Mass., on Martha's Vineyard. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday flew two planes of immigrants to Martha's Vineyard, escalating a tactic by Republican governors to draw attention to what they consider to be the Biden administration's failed border policies. (Ray Ewing/Vineyard Gazette via AP)

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — KOIN 6 News has learned a transportation company with ties to Oregon was paid by Florida to transport migrants and may be connected to those flown to Martha’s Vineyard.

State records show Florida recently paid Vertol Systems $615,000 for a “relocation program of unauthorized aliens.”

According to local records, the company operated in Oregon until moving to Florida last year.

Meanwhile, the company website appears to be down.

KOIN 6 has reached out to Vertol to confirm its role in the incident. We have not heard back as of this writing.