Sheriff Javier Salazar of Bexar County, Texas has opened a criminal investigation in Ron DeSantis for flying migrants to Martha’s Vineyard.
Sheriff Salazar tweeted:
I have officially opened a criminal investigation against the individual(s) who lured and transported 48 migrants from the Migrant Resource Center in San Antonio, TX to Martha’s Vineyard. If you or someone you know has been impacted, please email bcsotips@bexar.org
— SheriffSalazar (@sheriffsalazar) September 20, 2022
Video of Salazar at a press conference:
Ron DeSantis is now under criminal investigation for lying to migrants and flying them to Martha’s Vineyard. pic.twitter.com/SBQTR5Yyak
— Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) September 20, 2022
Sheriff Salazar said, “They were taken to Martha’s Vineyard from what we can gather for nothing — for little more than a photo-op, video op and then they were unceremoniously stranded. Somebody came from out of state, preyed upon these people, lured them with promises of a better life which is what they were absolutely looking for with the knowledge that they were going to cling to whatever hope they could be offered for a better life to just be exploited and hoodwinked.”
Ron DeSantis pulled this stunt to help both his 2022 Florida gubernatorial reelection campaign and his presumed 2024 presidential campaign. Gov. DeSantis never thought that he could be facing criminal charges. There is ample physical evidence in the form of documents that illustrate his lies to the migrants.
The White House has drawn comparisons between the tactics of DeSantis and Abbott and those used by human traffickers.
Ron DeSantis’s cruel publicity stunt may backfire on him as the Florida governor could find himself being criminally charged for lying to migrants, flying them to another state, and abandoning them.
The sheriff has the right idea, but it is also time for the Justice Department to get involved and examine the potential for federal charges.
Mr. Easley is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
