50 migrants from Venezuela were living in Martha's Vineyard for a few days.

They arrived in two planes and became pawns in a political game over immigration policy.

Without a plan for where they should go, they spent two nights at a church. Single people were put in the church while families stayed in the Parish House.

While keeping the media away, church volunteers and others from the community made their stay as comfortable as possible.

A church with its bright red doors seen open.
St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Edgartown.
Vanessa Leroy for Insider
A table with various documents spread out across it.
A document lists Martha's Vineyard Community Services as a place to send donations.
Vanessa Leroy for Insider

A group of men kicked a soccer ball around in the church parking lot as volunteers stood between the game and the TV news crews and cameras.

Two women were approached by a man who invited them to go for ice cream. He said he was a lawyer. He accused the volunteers of trapping the migrants when he got in his way. Blue lights illuminate the road between the two buildings after the police were called. The police stayed and kept an eye on the situation.

Four people stand roughly in a row, facing one another.
A heckler, left, is confronted by Vice President of Martha's Vineyard Community Services Larkin Stallings (second from left), a police officer, and volunteer Jackie Stallings (right) at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church.
Vanessa Leroy for Insider

A truck pulled up between the two church buildings carrying food and liquid death mountain water. As volunteers began to huddle around the truck and bring donations inside, Lisa Belcastro shooed away journalists who were trying to get in the way.

A woman is seen carrying a tinfoil tray through a crowd of people.
A volunteer carries a tray of food into St. Andrews's Parish House.
Vanessa Leroy for Insider
People are seen carrying trays and containers of water.
Volunteers bringing donations into the parish house.
Vanessa Leroy for Insider

Men and women were out on the sidewalk talking or making a phone call at night. Three men smile as they watch a video on their phone. Along the sidewalk, cigarette smoke can be seen.

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Migrants receiving emergency housing stand on the porch of St. Andrew's Parish House.
Vanessa Leroy for Insider
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Migrants receiving emergency housing stand on the porch of St. Andrew's Parish House.
Vanessa Leroy for Insider

Carlos was holding his phone and filming the scenery. After crossing the street, he gave a thumbs up to the journalists.

A man turns and gives a thumbs up to the camera.
Carlos, a Venezuelan migrant, offers a thumbs up before crossing the street at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church.
Vanessa Leroy for Insider

Immigration lawyers and politicians showed up for press conferences. Some migrants agreed to be interviewed in Spanish while others watched from the Parish House porch.

Attorney Rachel Self told journalists that the state shouldn't be interfering with immigration policy.

The two migrants showed the map of Massachusetts that they had been given before they boarded the plane. They said they were lured by a woman named "Perla" and that they didn't know where they were taken.

Children can be seen in a room with yellow walls and puzzle pieces on the floor through the windows of the Parish House. Two women put a blanket over the window to block the view when an adult sees a TV camera in their direction.

A man in a blazer speaks to reporters.
Massachusetts State Senator Julian Cyr speaks to reporters at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church on Sept. 15, 2022.
Vanessa Leroy for Insider
A woman speaks to reporters as microphones are held up toward her face.
Mirian Albert, a staff attorney at Lawyers for Civil Rights, speaks to reporters at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church on Sept. 15, 2022.
Vanessa Leroy for Insider
A map is lit up my a media camera.
The map that the 50 migrants received before they they boarded flights to Martha's Vineyard.
Vanessa Leroy for Insider

There was a bright sun in the church parking lot. Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker ordered the shuttle buses to take them to the ferry so they could go to Joint Base Cape Cod. The accommodations there will be better for them.

As the migrants waited in line to board the buses, the volunteers gave them hugs and high fives.

A police officer is seen in reflection next to a bus.
The migrants wait to board buses to a ferry, which will take them to depart on buses headed towards Joint Base Cape Cod in Bourne, Mass.
Vanessa Leroy for Insider
A person is seen boarding a bus.
One of the migrants.
Vanessa Leroy for Insider
A man is seen boarding a bus.
One of the migrants.
Vanessa Leroy for Insider
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Lisa Belcastro, a shelter coordinator, speaks to the police officer who is helping migrants file into the bus.
Vanessa Leroy for Insider
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Migrants prepare to depart on buses.
Vanessa Leroy for Insider
A person is seen, from behind, waving at a bus.
A volunteer waves to the departing bus.
Vanessa Leroy for Insider

After folding up the cots, they went back to the church and the parish house to get things back to normal.

A row of green cots.
The cots that were provided by St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Edgartown.
Vanessa Leroy for Insider
People are seen moving a mattress and a table out the door.
Volunteers clean up from the migrants short stay at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church.
Vanessa Leroy for Insider