On Monday, Governor Gavin Newsom of California, a Democrat, intensified his ongoing dispute with Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida. Newsom hinted that DeSantis could face kidnapping charges due to the South American migrant flights being sent to Sacramento.
On Monday, Governor Newsom tweeted about Florida Governor DeSantis, a potential 2024 GOP presidential candidate. Newsom referred to Florida’s migrant relocation initiative and questioned DeSantis’ actions, suggesting that they may violate California kidnapping laws.
Newsom also made a reference to DeSantis’ decision to fly a group of South American migrants to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, a liberal enclave with sanctuary policies.
More than a dozen migrants were transported from Texas to New Mexico before being flown to Sacramento and left on the doorstep of a local church Friday “without any advance warning,” Newsom said over the weekend.
On Monday, a plane carrying 20 more migrants arrived in Sacramento. The Los Angeles Times said that officials from the California Department of Justice said that both groups were flown by the same contractor and had documents that linked their move to the state of Florida.
“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 said.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta released a separate statement Saturday announcing a probe into the migrant planes. Bonta said the state is “evaluating potential criminal or civil action against those who transported or arranged for the transport of these 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 added. “We are a country built by immigrants, and we must condemn the cruelty and hateful speech of those, whether they are state leaders or private parties, who refuse to see humanity and who turn their backs on giving dignity and care to other people.”
Representatives for DeSantis’ political campaign and the office of the governor did not immediately respond to requests seeking comment.
In January of this year, DeSantis signed a bill that gave the state of Florida $12 million to keep up its “Unauthorized Alien Transportation Program,” which sends aliens to states with “sanctuary city” policies. The goal of the program is to point out the hypocrisy of Democrats when it comes to refugee seekers and to protest the way the federal government handles immigration under the Biden administration. Still, some people have called it a political stunt.
