Texas sheriff is launching a probe into whether the 50 Venezuelan migrants flown to Martha’s Vineyard on Florida governor Ron DeSantis’ orders were victims of a crime.
Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said his office was conducting the criminal investigation to see if the migrants were intentionally lured to the Vineyard with false promises of financial and employment assistance which were waiting for them on the Massachusetts vacation island.
In a news conference announcing the investigation, the Democrat elected Salazar derided the flights that took off in his city as political posturing. But he said investigators had so far only spoken to attorneys representing some of the migrants and did not name any potential suspects who might face charges.
He also did not mention DeSantis in a news conference that appeared to mark the first time a law enforcement official has said they would look into the flights.
‘I believe there is some criminal activity involved here,’ Salazar said. ‘But at present we are trying to keep an open mind and we are going to investigate to find out what exact laws were broken if that does turn out to be the case.’
News of the investigation comes as images have emerged of a brochure allegedly given to the migrants which described the myriad of assistance programs they would be met with upon their arrival on the Vineyard – despite islanders unanimously saying they received no warning the migrants were coming.
A Texas sheriff is launching a probe into whether the 50 Venezuelan migrants flown to Martha’s Vineyard on Florida governor Ron DeSantis’ orders were victims of a crime
One of the fifty migrants (left) Ron DeSantis had flown to Martha’s Vineyard as a part of a political stunt
The Venezuelan migrants who were flown to the wealthy Massachusetts island from San Antonio on Wednesday said they were told they were going to Boston. Julio Henriquez, an attorney who met with several migrants, said they ‘had no idea of where they were going or where they were.’
He said a Latina woman approached migrants at a city-run shelter in San Antonio and put them up at a nearby La Quinta Inn, where she visited daily with food and gift cards. She promised jobs and three months of housing in Washington, New York, Philadelphia and Boston, according to Henriquez.
The migrants were also handed brochures titled ‘Massachusetts Refugee Benefits’ and bearing a picture of Edgartown Lighthouse on the cover.
In both Spanish and English, the brochure described migrant benefits such as ‘up to 8 months of cash assistance,’ ‘assistance with housing,’ clothing and food, and ‘job placement, retention and upgrade services.’
DeSantis defended his actions and claimed that the migrants knew exactly where they were going and voluntarily signed up for the trip
About 150 National Guard members were called in to transport the migrants from the island to the Cape Cod Military base 32 miles away
Salazar said the migrants had been ‘preyed upon’ and ‘hoodwinked.’
Some Democrats have urged the Justice Department to investigate the flights, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom and US Rep. Joaquin Castro, whose district includes San Antonio.
A federal investigation might be complicated, however. It’s not clear whether anyone boarded buses or planes unwillingly, or that their civil rights were violated.
The rights of asylum seekers arriving to the US are also more limited because they are not citizens. The constitution, though, does protect them from discrimination based on race or national origin and from improper treatment by the government.
DeSantis’ office responded with a statement that said the migrants had been given more options to succeed in Massachusetts.
‘Immigrants have been more than willing to leave Bexar County after being abandoned, homeless, and left to fend for themselves,’ DeSantis spokesperson Taryn Fenske said. ‘Florida gave them an opportunity to seek greener pastures in a sanctuary jurisdiction that offered greater resources for them, as we expected.’