By PAUL J. WEBER
AUSTIN, Texas — A Texas sheriff on Monday opened an investigation into two flights of migrants despatched to Martha’s Vineyard by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, however didn’t say what legal guidelines could have been damaged in placing 48 Venezuelans on non-public planes final week from San Antonio.
Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar, an elected Democrat, railed in opposition to the flights that took off in his metropolis as political posturing. But he mentioned investigators had to date solely spoken to attorneys representing among the migrants and didn’t title any potential suspects who would possibly face prices.
He additionally didn’t point out DeSantis in a information convention that appeared to mark the primary time a legislation enforcement official has mentioned they’d look into the flights.
“I believe there is some criminal activity involved here,” Salazar mentioned. “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.”
DeSantis’ workplace responded with an announcement that mentioned the migrants had been given extra choices to reach Massachusetts.
“Immigrants have been more than willing to leave Bexar County after being abandoned, homeless, and ‘left to fend for themselves,’” DeSantis spokesperson Taryn Fenske mentioned. “Florida gave them an opportunity to seek greener pastures in a sanctuary jurisdiction that offered greater resources for them, as we expected.”
The Venezuelan migrants who have been flown to the rich Massachusetts island from San Antonio on Wednesday mentioned they have been informed they have been going to Boston. Julio Henriquez, an legal professional who met with a number of migrants, mentioned they “had no idea of where they were going or where they were.”
He mentioned a Latina lady approached migrants at a city-run shelter in San Antonio and put them up at a close-by La Quinta Inn, the place she visited day by day with meals and reward playing cards. She promised jobs and three months of housing in Washington, New York, Philadelphia and Boston, in keeping with Henriquez.
Salazar mentioned the migrants had been “preyed upon” and “hoodwinked.”
Some Democrats have urged the Justice Department to research the flights, together with California Gov. Gavin Newsom and U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, whose district consists of San Antonio.
A federal investigation may be difficult, nevertheless. It’s not clear whether or not anybody boarded buses or planes unwillingly, or that their civil rights have been violated. The rights of asylum seekers arriving to the U.S. are additionally extra restricted as a result of they don’t seem to be residents. The structure, although, does defend them from discrimination based mostly on race or nationwide origin and from improper remedy by the federal government.
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Associated Press reporters Acacia Coronado and David Fischer in Miami contributed to this report.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”