California has accused Florida Governor Ron DeSantis of being involved in flying migrants to Sacramento and has taken the step of launching a criminal investigation into the matter.
According to California’s attorney general Rob Bonta, the state of Florida appears to have arranged for a group of South American migrants to be dropped off outside a Sacramento church. The investigation is still ongoing, but it has been confirmed that the migrants possessed documents claiming to be from the government of Florida.
These documents indicated that the transportation was arranged through a program operated by Florida’s Division of Emergency Management and executed by contractor Vertol Systems Co.
Florida paid the same contractor $1.56 million last year for flying migrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard and a possible second flight to Delaware.
The group of 16 migrants who arrived in Sacramento on Friday originated from Colombia and Venezuela. They entered the U.S. through Texas, were transported to New Mexico, and then flown to California’s capital on a charter plane. Upon arrival, they were dropped off in front of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento.
According to Click Orlando, The migrants were reportedly approached outside a migrant center in El Paso, Texas, by individuals offering them employment and travel assistance. Unaware that they were being taken to Sacramento, they arrived with limited belongings.
Bonta is currently assessing whether any violations of civil or criminal law occurred. In a statement, Bonta strongly condemned state-sanctioned kidnapping, labeling it immoral and repugnant, while emphasizing the need to gather additional evidence.
As of now, Vertol Systems Co. and the Florida Division of Emergency Management have not responded to requests for comment.
