California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) leveled an accusation against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), claiming that 16 migrants were “kidnapped” when they were transported from New Mexico to Sacramento, California, purportedly without adequate prior arrangements for their arrival.
In a tweet sent on Monday, Gov. Gavin Newsom referenced California’s kidnapping laws as he criticized DeSantis, referring to him as a “small, pathetic man.”
“This isn’t Martha’s Vineyard. Kidnapping charges?” Newsom tweeted.
His tweet referred to Florida’s migrant relocation program. DeSantis gained significant attention last year when Florida flew a cohort of South American migrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, a community known for its strong advocacy of sanctuary policies.
Since President Biden assumed office, a significant number of migrants, including many who entered the country unlawfully, have crossed the border. Texas has implemented a policy of transferring certain migrants to various states and cities, often targeting sanctuary cities governed by Democrats.
According to a report from the Los Angeles Times, officials from the California Department of Justice confirmed on Monday that another batch of 20 migrants had arrived in Sacramento via a plane. It was revealed that both groups of migrants were transported by the same contractor and were found to possess documents that connected their relocation to the state of Florida.
Newsome commented, “My Administration is also working with the California Department of Justice to investigate the circumstances around who paid for the group’s travel and whether the individuals orchestrating this trip misled anyone with false promises or have violated any criminal laws, including kidnapping.”
*NEWSOM NOT HAPPY WITH MIGRANT FLIGHTS TO CALIFORNIA* https://t.co/sZviuOO8Zx
— Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) June 6, 2023
In a separate statement on Saturday, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced an investigation into the migrant flights. Bonta stated that the state is currently assessing the possibility of pursuing criminal or civil action against individuals involved in the transportation or coordination of the immigrants.
Earlier this year, Gov. DeSantis approved legislation that allocated $12 million to Florida, enabling the continuation of its “Unauthorized Alien Transport Program.” This program aims to relocate undocumented immigrants to states with sanctuary city policies, intending to highlight what the governor perceives as Democratic hypocrisy towards asylum seekers and register objections to the immigration policies of the Biden administration.
