The attorney general of California is conducting an investigation into whether the government of Florida played a role in sending a group of migrants to Sacramento, California, without prior

notice. As of now, representatives of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis have not responded to requests for comment.

Governor DeSantis had previously organized the transportation of migrants to Martha's Vineyard, a Massachusetts vacation island, as part of an initiative by Republican governors in Texas and Florida to shift the immigration burden to Democratic-run cities in the north. These actions have heightened partisan tensions surrounding the issue of immigration, particularly as DeSantis pursues the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.

According to officials cited by The Los Angeles Times, sixteen asylum-seekers from Venezuela and Colombia were dropped off at the doorstep of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento on Friday. California Governor Gavin Newsom confirmed that the migrants were initially taken by bus from Texas to New Mexico before being flown by private jet to Sacramento.

Attorney General Rob Bonta, also a Democrat, released a separate statement announcing California's investigation into potential criminal or civil liability for those involved in arranging the flight. Initial findings indicate that the migrants possessed documentation purportedly from the government of Florida.

Bonta condemned the alleged actions, stating, "State-sanctioned kidnapping is not a public policy choice, it is immoral and disgusting." He also expressed California's willingness to welcome the migrants "with open arms."

In relation to the Martha's Vineyard incident, Governor DeSantis had previously hinted at the possibility of more flights and buses. Florida state data revealed that the state paid $615,000 to an aviation company as part of a program for the "relocation of unauthorized aliens." Photo by Basil D Soufi, Wikimedia commons.