TX Sheriff Seeks Charges For FL Gov. Ron DeSantis Over Martha's Vineyard Migrant Flights

MARTHA'S VINEYARD, MA — In a statement to the Miami Herald this week, the Bexar County Sheriff's Office, in Texas, confirmed that criminal charges have been recommended in the case of migrant flights to Martha's Vineyard in 2022.

The flights last September sent 49 asylum seekers, most of whom were from San Antonio, to Martha's Vineyard. It was part of what Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has referred to as a migrant relocation program.

Now, the Sheriff's Office has completed a criminal investigation and is passing the decision on to the Bexar County District Attorney.

“The case filed includes both felony and misdemeanor charges of Unlawful Restraint,” according to the statement. “At this time, the case is being reviewed by the DA’s office. Once an update is available, it will be provided to the public.”

This isn't the first piece of litigation levied at DeSantis regarding the flights to Martha's Vineyard.

Lawyers for Civil Rights filed the suit on behalf of about 50 Venezuelans involved in the flights, and Alianza Americas, a network of migrant-led organizations supporting immigrants in the U.S. in September 2022.

The lawsuit names DeSantis and Secretary of Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue, and called the flights "inhumane and morally repugnant."

The suit says the Florida officials arranged a "fraudulent and discriminatory scheme to transport nearly 50 vulnerable immigrants, including women and children, from San Antonio, Texas to Martha’s Vineyard without shelter or resources in place."

According to the lawsuit, DeSantis used about $615,000 in taxpayer dollars to charter the flights to Martha's Vineyard, and told the migrants they would arrive in either Washington, D.C., or Boston. The suit also says the migrants were lured into planes with the promise of benefits, including $10 McDonald's gift cards.

Though it isn't the first instance of DeSantis and company being involved in the courts or justice system, is does come at an interesting time.

According to the Associated Press, Florida looks to have arranged for another migrant flight last week.

Sixteen South American migrants arrived in Sacremento on Friday. Attorney General Rob Bonta said that although the circumstances surrounding their arrival in the California capital are still being investigated, the migrants had documentation that appeared to have been issued by Florida.

He also said he's evaluating whether violations of civil or criminal law took place.

“While we continue to collect evidence, I want to say this very clearly: State-sanctioned kidnapping is not a public policy choice, it is immoral and disgusting,” Bonta said in a statement.

With reporting from Neal McNamara.