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| California probes 'state-sanctioned kidnapping' of migrants | California probes 'state-sanctioned kidnapping' of migrants |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Hard-line Republican governors have transported migrants to Democratic-controlled states since last year | Hard-line Republican governors have transported migrants to Democratic-controlled states since last year |
| California officials are investigating how a group of migrants were flown by charter plane to its capital city from New Mexico. | California officials are investigating how a group of migrants were flown by charter plane to its capital city from New Mexico. |
| Sixteen migrants from Colombia and Venezuela were dropped off outside a Sacramento church on Friday. | Sixteen migrants from Colombia and Venezuela were dropped off outside a Sacramento church on Friday. |
| Documents in their possession suggested they were transported by a contractor for a Florida government programme. | Documents in their possession suggested they were transported by a contractor for a Florida government programme. |
| But it is so far unclear if Florida's government was responsible for orchestrating the trip. | But it is so far unclear if Florida's government was responsible for orchestrating the trip. |
| Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has not commented on the investigation. | Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has not commented on the investigation. |
| On Monday, a second charter flight carrying around 20 migrants arrived in Sacramento, according to US media. | |
| The migrants may have been misled with "false promises" and even kidnapped, California state leaders said. | The migrants may have been misled with "false promises" and even kidnapped, California state leaders said. |
| Gavin Newsom, the state's governor, went to Twitter on Monday afternoon and called Mr DeSantis a "small, pathetic man", including a screenshot of a California legal code section on kidnapping. | |
| "This isn't Martha's Vineyard," his tweet read, "Kidnapping charges?" | |
| "Exploiting vulnerable human beings for cheap political points is small, weak & shameful," California Attorney General Rob Bonta wrote on Twitter. | "Exploiting vulnerable human beings for cheap political points is small, weak & shameful," California Attorney General Rob Bonta wrote on Twitter. |
| Mr Bonta's office said the first group had been transported from Texas to New Mexico, flown in a private chartered jet to Sacramento and driven to the Roman Catholic Diocese, a local church. | |
| Paperwork they shared with authorities indicated they were participating in the migrant transportation system administered by Florida's Division of Emergency Management and run by Florida-based contractor Vertol Systems Company Inc. | Paperwork they shared with authorities indicated they were participating in the migrant transportation system administered by Florida's Division of Emergency Management and run by Florida-based contractor Vertol Systems Company Inc. |
| Florida and at least two other Republican-controlled states have sent busloads of migrants, often with no advance warning, to Democratic-run cities since last year in protest against President Joe Biden's border policies amid an influx of migrants at the southern US border. | Florida and at least two other Republican-controlled states have sent busloads of migrants, often with no advance warning, to Democratic-run cities since last year in protest against President Joe Biden's border policies amid an influx of migrants at the southern US border. |
| Vertol, which has ties to Florida's Mr DeSantis, was paid more than $1.6m (£1.3m) last year for at least two migrant flights, including to Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. | |
| Mr DeSantis is contesting for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024. He will be holding a fundraiser in Sacramento for his campaign later this month. | |
| PICO California and Sacramento ACT, two faith-based volunteer groups that are helping the South Americans, told US media they were approached outside a migrant centre in the Texas border city of El Paso by people who offered them jobs and other support. | PICO California and Sacramento ACT, two faith-based volunteer groups that are helping the South Americans, told US media they were approached outside a migrant centre in the Texas border city of El Paso by people who offered them jobs and other support. |
| They were dropped off at the church's doorstep not knowing where they were and with only a backpack's worth of personal belongings each, the groups said. | They were dropped off at the church's doorstep not knowing where they were and with only a backpack's worth of personal belongings each, the groups said. |
| Mr Newsom said in a statement on Saturday that he and Mr Bonta had personally met the group. | |
| He vowed to ensure they were "treated with respect and dignity, and get to their intended destination as they pursue their immigration cases". | He vowed to ensure they were "treated with respect and dignity, and get to their intended destination as they pursue their immigration cases". |
| "We are investigating whether those orchestrating the group's trip misled anyone or violated laws", he added. | "We are investigating whether those orchestrating the group's trip misled anyone or violated laws", he added. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Florida | Florida |
| US immigration | US immigration |
| Texas | Texas |
| United States | United States |
| California | California |