Officials in California and Texas are urging the Biden Administration to investigate the Florida government over a political stunt that may have amounted to kidnapping.
Last September, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis flew dozens of immigrants between states as part of a migrant relocation effort. On a plane sent by the Florida government, 49 migrants were flown to Martha's Vineyard from San Antonio, Texas.
Sheriff of Bexar County, Javier Salazar, has since filed a criminal case with the county's district attorney, recommending charges of unlawful restraint against DeSantis and Florida officials.
In June, a flight of South American migrants unexpectedly arrived in Sacramento, which the Florida government soon after took credit for. California Governor Gavin Newsom decried the transportation at the time, which he said was done without the knowledge or consent of the migrants. He then opened an investigation, threatening DeSantis with kidnapping charges.
On Thursday of this week, Newsom and the California attorney general, as well as Salazar, sent a joint letter to the Department of Justice, urging them to look into the unlawful transportations.
“It is unconscionable to use people as political props by persuading them to travel to another state based on false or deceptive representations,” the three wrote. “We urge USDOJ to investigate potential violations of federal law by those involved in this scheme."
The letter emphasized that the migrants were transported against their will in some cases. In others, they were given false promises of career and housing opportunities.
The letter to the DOJ continues: “This scheme is different: according to news reports, recruiters deceived migrants into taking flights to these particular locations based on promises of jobs and shelter."
While no charges have yet been filed, Rachel Self, attorney for the migrants sent to Martha’s Vineyard, has also called for DeSantis to be prosecuted, confirming that many of her clients were kept in the dark throughout the process and deliberately lied to.
"The fact that no charges have yet been filed has clearly left the Florida authorities with the impression that they can keep acting this way with impunity,” she said in a previous statement. “The people who perpetrated this need to know: no matter who you are, you aren’t above the law. A lesson needs to be taught.”
