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Second plane carrying migrants arrives in California | Second plane carrying migrants arrives in California |
(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 |
A second plane carrying migrants has arrived in California's capital city, just days after a first group of 16 migrants landed there on a charter plane that took off from New Mexico. | A second plane carrying migrants has arrived in California's capital city, just days after a first group of 16 migrants landed there on a charter plane that took off from New Mexico. |
On Monday, a group of around 20 people landed in Sacramento, officials say. | On Monday, a group of around 20 people landed in Sacramento, officials say. |
Documents in their possession suggested the migrants were transported by a contractor for a Florida government programme. | Documents in their possession suggested the migrants were transported by a contractor for a Florida government programme. |
California officials are investigating whether any laws were broken. | California officials are investigating whether any laws were broken. |
The first group of migrants, from Colombia and Venezuela, were dropped off outside a Sacramento church on Friday. | The first group of migrants, from Colombia and Venezuela, were dropped off outside a Sacramento church on Friday. |
California state leaders have said the migrants may have been misled with "false promises" or even kidnapped. | |
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has not commented on either flight. Nor have any other officials from the state. | |
Gavin Newsom, California's governor, went on Twitter on Monday afternoon and called Mr DeSantis a "small, pathetic man", including a screenshot of a California legal code section on kidnapping. | Gavin Newsom, California's governor, went on Twitter on Monday afternoon and called Mr DeSantis a "small, pathetic man", including a screenshot of a California legal code section on kidnapping. |
California Attorney General Rob 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. | California Attorney General Rob 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. |
The second group was carrying similar documents and flew to California from the same airport in New Mexico as the first group. | The second group was carrying similar documents and flew to California from the same airport in New Mexico as the first group. |
Sacramento County spokeswoman Kim Nava told US media the second group contained men and women between the ages of 18 and 40. | Sacramento County spokeswoman Kim Nava told US media the second group contained men and women between the ages of 18 and 40. |
She said government officials made contact with them and gave them food and water before transporting them to a religious institution that she declined to identify. | She said government officials made contact with them and gave them food and water before transporting them to a religious institution that she declined to identify. |
Wilkendri Rodriguez, a 23-year-old migrant from Venezuela, told the New York Times that two men had approached him at a shelter in El Paso and offered him a flight to California. | |
"I don't know what is their motivation to organize these trips," he told the newspaper. "I don't know if it's political or part of the government. They didn't tell us anything." | |
Stephen Thompson, the owner of a flight school at the airport where the migrant flight arrived on Monday, told BBC News that he witnessed the group exiting the plane carrying knapsacks and plastic bags. | |
Around lunchtime, he ordered a pizza delivery for the migrant group. | |
Since last year, Florida and at least two other Republican-controlled states have sent busloads of migrants, often with no advance warning, to Democratic-run cities in protest against President Joe Biden's border policies. It comes 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. | 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. | 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 the first group was 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 the first group was 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. |
Why are migrants being sent to Democrat-run areas? | Why are migrants being sent to Democrat-run areas? |
US cities far from border grapple with migrant crisis | US cities far from border grapple with migrant crisis |
Mr Newsom said in a statement on Saturday that he and Mr Bonta had personally met the group. | 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. | |
Related Topics | Related Topics |
Florida | Florida |
US immigration | US immigration |
Texas | Texas |
United States | United States |
California | California |