Bexar sheriff, California officials call for federal investigation into DeSantis migrant flights

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (FLV) – Bexar County, Texas Sheriff Javier Salazar, in a joint letter with California officials, has formally requested the Department of Justice initiate investigations into a sequence of migrant flights originating from Texas and destined for Massachusetts and California.

The flights took place in early June when dozens of migrants boarded flights from Texas, voluntarily, to California, funded through Florida’s voluntary relocation program.

In February, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill allocating $10 million to create the “Unauthorized Alien Transport Program” within the Division of Emergency Management.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta previously launched an investigation into the matter that is still ongoing.

Bonta confirmed that migrants were in possession of “documentation purporting to be from the government of the State of Florida” and compared the flights to “kidnapping.”

However, in his new letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland and the Department of Justice, Sheriff Salazar urged the federal government to open its own investigation.

“Given the multijurisdictional, interstate nature of this ongoing scheme, the federal government’s involvement seems especially appropriate,” Salazar said.

The sheriff also referred to the migrant flight operation as “unconscionable” and said migrants had been “induced” to participate, according to their department’s own investigation.

“Individuals were induced to accept free travel based on false representations that they would be transported from San Antonio to Martha’s Vineyard and receive housing, education, and employment opportunities,” Salazar said in the letter. “A referral for potential criminal prosecution is currently pending with the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office.”