Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ flight bringing 50 migrants to Martha’s Vineyard, Mass., is being investigated by the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office in Texas. The emigrants were flown from Texas to Florida and then to Martha’s Vineyard. Here, DeSantis speaks at an August 19 rally in Pittsburgh.
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Jeff Swensen / Getty Images
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ flight bringing 50 migrants to Martha’s Vineyard, Mass., is being investigated by the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office in Texas. The emigrants were flown from Texas to Florida and then to Martha’s Vineyard. Here, DeSantis speaks at an August 19 rally in Pittsburgh.
Jeff Swensen / Getty Images
Authorities in Texas have opened a criminal investigation into Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ flight last week that brought about 50 Venezuelan migrants to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. Javier Salazar, the sheriff of Bexar County, where San Antonio is based, said in a press release Monday that his office is investigating whether the migrants were victims of crime. evil or not:
The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office has opened an investigation into migrants lured from the Migration Resource Center, located in Bexar County, TX, and flown to Florida, where they were eventually left to fend for themselves. for myself at Martha’s Vineyard, MA.
In addition, we are working with private attorneys representing victims, as well as advocacy organizations involved in this case. We are also prepared to work with any federal agency with concurrent jurisdiction, if the need arises.
Salazar held a Facebook Live press conference on the site of the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, answering questions from reporters.
“What we understand is that a Venezuelan migrant who was paid a birding fee to recruit 50 migrants was then lured – and I would use the word ‘seduce’ to stay in a hotel for a few days, then they got caught on a plane where they flew to Florida and then to Martha’s Vineyard under the pretense of being offered a job,” Salazar said. “For what we can collect, a little more than a photo op, a video op, and then they’re left there.”
The sheriff went on to explain his anger over the incident and the false promises that brought the migrants on board.
“What pisses me off the most is what we have is 48 people here legally – they have every right here and they’ve been preyed on. Lured by promises of a better life and with knowledge they would cling to anything offered for the better of life and were taken advantage of and defrauded into making the trip to Florida for what I believe is political opinion.”
“When you’re playing with the lives of people who have every right here, that tends to bother me quite a bit. We’re completely opening an investigation into this.”
Salazar added that the White House has not yet contacted his office, but he welcomes open communication.
‘This case will absolutely go federal, and I welcome a call from the White House to discuss it. “
Salazar wanted to be as clear as possible to remind viewers that migrants are in the United States legally and that they have every right to move freely and not be preyed on or lured into a situation they did not choose. .
“If someone is here and they’re here illegally and without identification, they have a right to not be a victim. They have a right not to be lured to another state with fake promises. Maybe. say, these people were here legally. They were documented. They had the right to roam the streets freely and not be transported around the country because it was a media event. It’s a tragedy. It’s at worst some kind of crime. We’re going to look at the extent to which the law can hold people accountable.”
