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.

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.)
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
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."
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.
-
ICE scraps age limits amid hiring push
Speed Read Anyone 18 or older can now apply to be an ICE agent
-
Trump's global tariffs take effect, with new additions
Speed Read Tariffs on more than 90 US trading partners went into effect, escalating the global trade war
-
House committee subpoenas Epstein files
Speed Read The House Oversight Committee has issued a subpoena to the Justice Department for its Jeffrey Epstein files with an Aug. 19 deadline
-
'Discriminating against DACA students'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
India rejects Trump threat over Russian oil
Speed Read The president said he would raise tariffs on India for buying and selling Russian oil
-
NY's Hochul vows response to Texas gerrymander
Speed Read Gov. Kathy Hochul has promised to play ball with redistricting that favors the Democrats
-
Texas Democrats exit state to block redistricting vote
Speed Read More than 51 legislators fled the state in protest of the GOP's plan to redraw congressional districts
-
Trump criticized for firing BLS chief after jobs report
Speed Read Bureau of Labor Statistics chief Erika McEntarfer oversaw a July jobs report that the president claims was rigged