Texas sheriff opens criminal investigation into DeSantis' flight of migrants - NPR

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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' flight that took 50 migrants to Martha's vineyard, Mass., is being investigated by the Bexar County Sheriff's workplace in Texas. The migrants have been flown from Texas to Florida and then on to Martha's winery. here, DeSantis speaks at a rally on Aug. 19 in Pittsburgh. Jeff Swensen/Getty photos conceal caption

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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' flight that took 50 migrants to Martha's vineyard, Mass., is being investigated via the Bexar County Sheriff's workplace in Texas. The migrants have been flown from Texas to Florida after which on to Martha's vineyard. right here, DeSantis speaks at a rally on Aug. 19 in Pittsburgh.

Jeff Swensen/Getty pictures

Authorities in Texas have opened a crook investigation into Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' flight last week that took roughly 50 Venezuelan migrants to Martha's vineyard, Massachusetts. Javier Salazar, the sheriff of Bexar County, where San Antonio is determined, spoke of in a information liberate Monday that his office is investigating even if the migrants have been victims of crimes:

The Bexar County Sheriff's workplace has opened an investigation into the migrants that were lured from the Migrant aid center, determined in Bexar County, TX, and flown to Florida, the place they were in the end left to fend for themselves in Martha's winery, MA.

additionally, we are working with private attorneys who're representing the victims, in addition to advocacy corporations regarding this incident. we are also getting ready to work with any federal groups that have concurrent jurisdiction, should the want arise.

country wide Migrants on Martha's vineyard flight say they have been told they had been going to Boston

Salazar held a fb live news convention over the Bexar County Sheriff's workplace web page, answering journalists' questions.

"What we remember is a Venezuelan migrant turned into paid a bird-dog payment to recruit 50 migrants who were then have been lured — and i will use the observe "lured" below false pretenses — to staying in a hotel for just a few days, then taken to an airplane the place they were flown to Florida after which Martha's vineyard below false pretenses of being provided jobs," says Salazar. "For what we are able to acquire, a bit more than a photograph op, a video op, and then they have been left there."

The sheriff endured to explain his anger over the incident and the false promises that brought the migrants onto the airplane.

"What infuriates me essentially the most is what we now have is forty eight individuals right here legally — they've each right to be here and that they have been preyed upon. Lured with guarantees of a higher existence and with the knowledge they might dangle anything else that changed into offered for a more robust lifestyles and were exploited and hoodwinked to make the travel to Florida for what I consider changed into political posturing."

"for those who're playing with human lives, individuals which have every appropriate to be right here, that does tend to hassle me fairly a bit of. we are absolutely opening an investigation into this."

national Migrants despatched to Martha's vineyard are being rehoused on a base in Cape Cod

Salazar introduced that the White residence has not been involved with his office, however he does welcome open conversation.

'This case would completely need to go federal, and i would welcome a name from the White residence to discuss."

Salazar wanted to be as clear as feasible to remind viewers that the migrants are within the U.S. legally and that they have got each appropriate to stroll round free and never be preyed upon or lured into a circumstance that they didn't decide to be in.

"If somebody is here and they're illegally here and are undocumented, they have rights to not be victims. they have rights to now not be lured to another state with false promises. With that being stated, these individuals have been right here legally. They had been documented. they'd the right to stroll across the streets free and never be transported throughout the nation for it to be a media experience. it really is a tragedy. it truly is at worst some classification of crime. we will look at what extent of the law we will grasp americans accountable."