Texas sheriff opens criminal probe of DeSantis-led scheme to 'lure' migrants to Martha's Vineyard
Sheriff Javier Salazar of Bexar County, Texas, announced a criminal investigation Monday into the effort spearheaded by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) to secretly fly 48 Venezuelan asylum-seekers from San Antonio to Martha's Vineyard last week.
"What infuriates me most about this case is that here we have 48 people that are already on hard times, they are here legally in our country," Salazar said. "Somebody came from out of state, preyed upon these people, lured them with promises of a better life," then "unceremoniously stranded" them for "nothing more than political posturing" and a "photo op."
"I believe there is some criminal activity involved here," Salazar said. "But at present we are trying to keep an open mind and we are going to investigate to find out what exact laws were broken, if that does turn out to be the case."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
![https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516-320-80.jpg)
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"Our thinking was early on if they were lured under false pretenses, it could be a crime," Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff said. "If you think about what smugglers do, it's not much different."
DeSantis told Fox News host Sean Hannity on Monday night the Venezuelan migrants "all signed consent forms to go" and were given "a packet that had a map of Martha's Vineyard" and contact numbers for aid organizations.
Journalist Judd Legum was given a copy of the brochure the migrants received, falsely promising cash, housing, and job placement.
DeSantis spokeswoman Taryn Fenske said "immigrants have been more than willing to leave Bexar County," and "Florida gave them an opportunity to seek greener pastures in a sanctuary jurisdiction that offered greater resources for them, as we expected." (Florida has a vibrant Venezuelan migrant community, but perhaps no green pastures.)
Charlie Crist, DeSantis' Democratic challenger, called the flights an expensive "state-sponsored human trafficking scheme."
San Antonio Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller appeared to agree, and he roped in migrant-bus instigator Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) — like DeSantis, a Catholic. "To use migrants and refugees as pawns offends God, destroys society, and shows how low individuals can be for personal gains," García-Siller tweeted. "These tactics — buses — promote human trafficking."
Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski said "reports of Florida involvement in transporting migrants from Texas to Martha's Vineyard are disconcerting," adding that "any action to transport persons under false pretenses and leave them stranded with no assistance would be to diminish their human dignity and objectify them."
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
The Week contest: Tattoo prediction
Puzzles and Quizzes
By The Week US Published
-
Escape seaside in Newport, Rhode Island
The Week Recommends For the quintessential New England experience, head to the Classic Coast
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
The long-awaited return of the college football video game
In the Spotlight EA Sports' 'College Football 25' is the first installment of the series in 11 years
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Menendez convicted of bribery, fraud, and extortion
Speed Read The New Jersey Democratic Senator was found guilty in a federal corruption trial
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Florida judge dismisses Trump documents case
Speed Read Judge Aileen Cannon ruled that special counsel Jack Smith was improperly appointed
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
How could J.D. Vance impact the special relationship?
Today's Big Question Trump's hawkish pick for VP said UK is the first 'truly Islamist country' with a nuclear weapon
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Hamas says military chief survived Israeli strike
Speed Read An Israeli bombing failed to hit its intended target, military commander Mohammed Deif, but killed at least 90 Palestinians
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden, Trump urge calm after assassination attempt
Speed Reads A 20-year-old gunman grazed Trump's ear and fatally shot a rally attendee on Saturday
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
First Israeli report on Oct. 7 finds 'severe mistakes and errors' in IDF response
Speed Reads Israeli military admits failures in response to deadly Hamas attack that triggered Gaza war
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Biden saw neurologist during physicals
Speed Read Following his bad debate performance, many are asking questions about the president's brain
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Russia bombs Kyiv children's hospital
Speed Reads The daytime barrage interrupted heart surgeries and killed at least 40 people
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published