California governor, Texas sheriff ask DOJ to investigate DeSantis’ migrant flight program

The state of California and a Texas sheriff Thursday called on U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland to open a criminal investigation into Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ migrant relocation program that has sent dozens of newly arrived immigrants from Texas to California and Massachusetts — in at least some cases allegedly with false promises of jobs and other help.

“It is unconscionable to use people as political props by persuading them to travel to another state based on false or deceptive representations,” the July 6 letter stated, urging the Justice Department to investigate “given the multi-jurisdictional, interstate nature of this ongoing scheme.”

The letter was co-signed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Attorney General Rob Bonta, and Texas Sheriff Javier Salazar, who recently recommended criminal charges after a months-long investigation in Bexar County alleged that 49 migrants were tricked into getting on planes to Martha’s Vineyard last year.

Bonta announced his own criminal investigation last month after dozens more migrants were dropped off without warning in Sacramento as part of the program. The July 6 letter alleged they were similarly “induced by deceptive representations about access to jobs, housing, or other services.”

“Although separate investigations into potential violations of state laws remain active, the U.S. Department of Justice (USDOJ) has a unique capability to investigate cases where, as here, the scheme stretches from Massachusetts to California and touches upon no fewer than five states,” the letter stated.

The letter noted previous correspondences between Newsom and the Justice Department regarding the Martha’s Vineyard flights but provided no details.

The call for a federal intervention into Florida’s migrant relocation program comes amid a deepening rivalry between the Democratic governor in California and DeSantis, whose bid for the Republican presidential nomination is polling around 30 points behind Donald Trump.

DeSantis has touted the taxpayer-funded migrant relation program as a way to call attention to the “Biden border crisis.”

Newsom and DeSantis exchanged verbal blows following the June flights, with the California governor calling his political rival a “small pathetic man.” DeSantis hit back a few days later, telling Newsom to open an investigation into President Joe Biden and “stop pussyfooting around.”

Neither the Justice Department nor DeSantis’ office immediately responded to the Herald’s request for comment.

“This political theater has placed people in danger, and my hope is that the DOJ gets involved to send a clear message — causing human suffering is not a game,” Salazar said in a Friday morning statement. Newsom and Salazar met in California last month to discuss their parallel investigations.

Rachel Self, the attorney representing the migrants sent to Martha’s Vineyard, tweeted the letter Friday morning, voicing her support.

“People are not pawns. Charges must be filed,” Self tweeted.

McClatchy DC staff writer Michael Wilner contributed to this report.