The 10 a.m. bells of St. Andrew’s Church in Edgartown began ringing as about 50 mostly Venezuelan migrants boarded Vineyard Transit Authority buses to take them to the ferry and then to a military facility on Cape Cod.

In a news release, Gov. Charlie Baker said the migrants who arrived unannounced by plane Wednesday on Martha’s Vineyard would be provided shelter and humanitarian support at Joint Base Cape Cod.

The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) was coordinating efforts among state and local officials to provide access to food, shelter and essential services for the migrants, including seven children. The governor said he would activate up to 125 members of the Massachusetts National Guard as part of this relief effort.

Tears, cheers, high fives, hugs and photos were shared at Friday’s morning’s goodbye, thus ending one chapter and beginning another in a saga that began when the migrants boarded two planes in San Antonio, Tex., with false promises of jobs and housing in Massachusetts.

“Get together everyone — I want to know everyone who helped!” Rafael called out in Spanish as local volunteers hurried to prepare for the departure. “Thank you everyone! Blessings to everyone!”

The migrants spent two nights in temporary shelter at St. Andrew’s Church while state and local officials pondered a longer-term humanitarian response.

Joint Base Cape Cod covers 22,000 acres in Barnstable County and includes Camp Edwards and Otis Air Force base. It was previously designated by MEMA as an emergency shelter. 

According to the news release from the governor, housing will be in dormitory-style spaces at JBCC, with separate spaces accommodating both individuals and families. Families will not be separated.

“As part of the emergency planning process in any situation, state officials deploy a ‘wraparound’ service approach which includes accommodation, clothing and hygiene kits, nutrition, needs assessment, and access to health care, mental health, and crisis counseling services. All services will be available in the recipient’s native language through interpreters,” the news release said.

The governor’s office also said that Joint Base Cape Cod is not logistically able to accept donations of any kind and that MEMA would be establishing a process to accept relief donations.

On Friday, the three VTA buses departed St. Andrew’s Church for the 11:05 a.m. Steamship Authority ferry out of Vineyard Haven to Woods Hole. Two civilian vehicles had driven away earlier in the morning, with a planned stop at the dentist before continuing to the ferry.

Four immigration lawyers, who had arrived in Edgartown on Thursday afternoon, joined the migrants on the buses.

Some boarded the buses carrying new backpacks, bedding, clothing, and even stuffed animals and soccer balls provided by members of the Island community. Courtesy of Martha’s Vineyard Community Services, the migrants received a donation of 30 cell phones Friday morning.

At the departure, many expressed gratitude for their Vineyard welcome, some wearing Go Vineyarders, Harpoon the Whalers shirts given to them by the regional high school.

“The people here are very good people,” said Élio, in Spanish. “It was a nice surprise. You don’t normally see that, as an immigrant. But everyone was so helpful and kind. I don’t know what’s going to happen but everything here was good. It was all good.”

In Vineyard Haven the group boarded the Steamship Authority M/V Governor ferry. Once the boat was underway, many flocked to the railing to take in the view and enjoy some fresh air between bus trips. A few made friends with Coco the chocolate labradoodle. Owner Marc Allen, dressed in a colorful starfish-patterned shirt, brought the pup around to perform tricks to help pass the time.

“It’s very fun, very pretty,” Leticía, a migrant, said of the trip. “I had never been on a boat like this before.”

Leticía had left her family behind in Venezuela in search of job opportunities, she said, and the past few days have left her unmoored.

“This whole situation has been very uncertain,” she said. “We didn’t know where we were going. We hope when we get to the mainland we can find housing and a job. I’ve been in touch with my family in Venezuela and they’re all very worried about me. I have an immigration court date that I’m trying to get rescheduled, but I don’t know when it will be. It’s all very disconcerting.”

Island attorney Rachel Self traveled on the ferry to help advise the group.

“Immigration lawyers are used to this kind of thing,” Ms. Self said. Her firm is based in Boston, but she lives on Chappaquiddick and calls the Vineyard home.

“We’ve got this,” she said. “We’ve got their backs. They’re not alone.”

Domingo García, president of the League of United Latin American Citizens, a Hispanic civil rights organization based in Washington, D.C., was present at St. Andrew’s Church Friday morning. He confirmed details of how the migrants were brought to the Vineyard.

“[Many were told] a very specific promise: three months of work, they were going to get free housing and free transportation. And it was all just a terrible lie,” Mr. García said. “None of them were told they were going to Martha’s Vineyard.”

Eliomar, a migrant from Venezuela, said it took him two months to travel to San Antonio, Tex. from his home country.

“I came here alone, with no family,” he said. “I walked, I took buses. I didn’t know where Massachusetts…is that how you say it? I’m here to work. I’m hoping to work. I can do painting, finishing, construction work. I want to go to Boston because I heard that’s where I can go.”

Rep. Dylan Fernandes met the group on the Woods Hole side. He said the state is looking into longer term housing solutions, and immigration services will be working with each migrant on a case-by-case basis.

“This is what good government actually looks like,” Mr. Fernandes said. “And this is what compassionate government actually looks like. And I couldn’t be prouder of the people of Martha’s Vineyard and Cape Cod for their incredible work here. And I couldn’t be prouder to be from the state of Massachusetts.”

Brooke Kushwaha, Thomas Humphrey and Aidan Pollard contributed reporting. 

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