'Millions' of Puerto Ricans may move to the mainland in hurricane's wake

Rss@dailykos.com (laura Clawson) · Wednesday, October 18, 2017, 2:03 pm

Puerto Rico continues to face disaster and desperation without adequate support from the federal government. Even the official death toll shows neglect—officially 48 people have died, but a Vox investigation put the number closer to 450. Even as supplies, from FEMA and from private donations, become more available on Puerto Rico, getting them to every household remains a challenge. The mayor of the town of Aguas Buenas is going door to door distributing food and water, but:

The town still needs more tarps to replace roofs ripped off by the storm. Thunderstorms and downpours this week have made that need even more acute.

As for what else he will find and what else he will need, that's hard to know. While more than 8,000 homes have been checked on, Mayor Garcia has about 1,500 more to go.

The devastation from the hurricane, following years of economic crisis, will likely lead to a mass exodus. That will make Puerto Rico’s recovery still more difficult—the island already faces a shortage of medical personnel, for instance, which will only get worse as the people who can leave do so—and it will have an effect on the cities and states that Puerto Ricans move to:

Cities popular with Puerto Ricans, such as Orlando, Hartford, Conn., and Springfield Mass., are bracing for more students, many of whom come from families living below the poverty level. Politicians, meanwhile, are weighing the potentially significant electoral consequences of a wave of migrants who are expected to lean Democratic — particularly in Florida, which already boasts half a million residents who are Puerto Rican-born.

At a news conference last week, Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló warned that without significant help, “millions” could leave for the U.S. mainland. Those leaving are most likely to end up in Florida, Texas and Pennsylvania, which have been the most popular destinations for Puerto Ricans in recent years.

You’d think that electoral concern might shake loose some Republican votes for more significant government aid, but apparently contempt for Puerto Ricans (and possibly confidence in voter suppression tactics) is winning the day.

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