California’s attorney general investigates whether Florida paid for migrant flights to Sacramento
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (FLV) – California’s attorney general said the state is investigating after migrants were flown to Sacramento by a private plane with documents that appeared to have been issued by Florida, according to reports.
According to AP News, 16 Colombian and Venezuelan migrants entered the U.S. through Texas and were transported to the Roman Catholic Church diocese’s headquarters in Sacramento on Friday.
Attorney General Rob Bonta released a statement Saturday and said he met with over a dozen migrants who were brought by private plane, with “no prior arrangement or care in place.”
On Monday, Bonta retweeted a story from the SF Chronicle where he called the event a “political stunt” by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
“This political stunt by @GovRonDeSantis is disgusting and morally bankrupt,” Bonta said.
This political stunt by @GovRonDeSantis is disgusting and morally bankrupt https://t.co/R24Y6BIFIb
— Rob Bonta (@RobBonta) June 5, 2023
Bonta said while this is still under investigation, he confirmed the individuals were in possession of “documentation purporting to be from the government of the State of Florida.”
Today I met with over a dozen migrants who were brought to Sacramento by private plane, with no prior arrangement or care in place.
— Rob Bonta (@AGRobBonta) June 4, 2023
We are investigating the circumstances by which these individuals were brought to California. pic.twitter.com/UXY2yKvKwl
Bonta said they are evaluating potential criminal or civil action against those who transported or arranged for the transport of the “vulnerable immigrants.”
“While we continue to collect evidence, I want to say this very clearly: State-sanctioned kidnapping is not a public policy choice, it is immoral and disgusting,” Bonta said.
In May, Florida’s Voice reported the state selected three vendors to help execute the state’s migrant transportation program, which reached national headlines after DeSantis sent about 50 immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.
On Monday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom tweeted, “@RonDeSantis you small, pathetic man. This isn’t Martha’s Vineyard. Kidnapping charges?”
However, under Florida’s program, migrants would reportedly be voluntarily transported to sanctuary jurisdictions.
The request for proposals said the vendors would be “required to provide ground and air transportation and other related services… to assist in the voluntary relocation of Inspected Unauthorized Aliens that have agreed to be relocated from Florida, or another state, to a location within the United States.”
In February 2023, DeSantis signed a bill to allow $10 million to create the “Unauthorized Alien Transport Program” within the Division of Emergency Management. The program had sat previously under the Department of Transportation, where $1.6 million was reportedly spent to send nearly 50 migrants to Martha’s Vineyard.
Previously in May of 2023, the Florida legislature approved $12 million to help transport illegal immigrants from the state.
DeSantis said he planned to “spend every penny” of the allotted money to send illegal immigrants to “sanctuary jurisdictions.”
Sanctuary cities are usually those with laws to protect undocumented immigrants from prosecution or deportation, despite federal immigration law. Florida is not a sanctuary state.
“And that way they’re able to go and these sanctuary cities can put their money where their mouth is,” DeSantis explained Friday. “They can provide resources. They can do all of that.”
In September 2022, DeSantis said, “We’re not a sanctuary state. We don’t have benefits or any of that. There are some sanctuary jurisdictions and that would be better. Now what would be best is for Biden to do is damn job and secure the border.”
California has a “sanctuary state” law, set back in 2017, which limited the ability of local law enforcement to notify federal authorities about the release of undocumented immigrants from jail, according to reports.
Florida’s Voice reached out to the governor’s office and will update this story if any information is received.
