California is looking into the "state-approved kidnapping" of migrants

An immigrant in chains flies in the air

Officials in California are looking into the circumstances surrounding this weekend's charter flight of a group of migrants from Texas to the state's capital city.

On Friday, 16 migrants from Colombia and Venezuela were left outside a Sacramento church.

According to documents they had, they were moved as part of a government initiative in Florida by a contractor.

According to state leaders, the migrants might have been abducted after being given "false promises.".

Rob Bonta, the attorney general of California, wrote on Twitter, "Exploiting vulnerable human beings for cheap political points is small, weak, and shameful.".

He previously stated: "State-sanctioned kidnapping is not a choice of public policy; it is immoral and disgusting. ".

According to Mr. Bonta's office, the group traveled from Texas to New Mexico, then took a private chartered flight to Sacramento before being driven to the Roman Catholic Diocese, a nearby church.

They shared paperwork with law enforcement that showed they were taking part in the Florida Division of Emergency Management's migrant transportation program, which is operated by Florida-based contractor Vertol Systems Company Inc.

Since last year, in protest against President Joe Biden's border policies amid an influx of migrants at the southern US border, Florida and at least two other Republican-controlled states have sent busloads of migrants to Democratic-run cities, frequently without prior notice.

Vertol, a company connected to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, received at least $1.6 million (£1 point3 million) in payment for at least two migrant flights last year, one of which was to Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts.

In 2024, Mr. DeSantis plans to run for the Republican presidential nomination.

PICO California and Sacramento ACT, two faith-based volunteer organizations assisting the South Americans, told US media that the group was approached outside a migrant center in the Texas border city of El Paso by people who offered them jobs and other support.

According to the groups, they were left at the church's door without a clue as to where they were and with only a backpack's worth of personal belongings each.

The group was personally met by the governor of California, Gavin Newsom, and Mr. Bonta, according to a statement released on Saturday.

He promised to see to it that they "were treated with respect and dignity, and got to their intended destination as they pursued their immigration cases.".

He continued, "We are looking into any potential lawbreaking or misrepresentation on the part of those organizing the group's trip.

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