DETROIT — A Michigan lawmaker appeared to have mistakenly identified a charter plane that landed in Detroit as carrying immigrants Thursday morning.
The plane was, in fact, carrying NCAA basketball players, possibly the Gonzaga men’s basketball team.
A Michigan state Representative Matt Maddock tweeted pictures of the plane believed to be carrying the Gonzaga’s men’s basketball team landing at the Detroit Metro Airport.
“Happening right now. Three busses just loaded up with illegal invaders at Detroit Metro. Anyone have any idea where they’re headed with their police escort?” Matt Maddock said in the tweet.
Detroit Metro confirmed via email that teams arrived Wednesday evening and that the photo circulating is in fact of basketball team’s and their staff.
The viral tweet has over 4.8 million views and over 1,000 retweets. Maddock is a Trump endorsed state representative serving the 51st district in Michigan. The tweet was also reshared by the Michigan chair of the GOP.
As of late reports have been made across the country pointing out the movement of immigrants and asylum seekers into certain cities like New York, Chicago, and Washington D.C.
WXYZ ABC7 Detroit identified the plane as the Gonzaga University’s men’s basketball team.
A source working for the team said they flew on an Allegiant plane to Detroit, as did other teams, and there were multiple buses there to pick them up. They didn’t confirm if they were on the plane that was pictured by Rep. Maddock.
The Michigan State Senate Majority Whip tweeted that she felt it was a rude way to welcome Gonzaga as they arrived for March Madness, striking up 12,000 likes.
This comes on the heels of the Utah women’s basketball team experiencing racial remarks made towards them in Couer d’Alene Idaho at the NCAA tournament.
We reached out to Maddock for comment and haven’t heard back.
