SAN ANTONIO – Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar met with California Gov. Gavin Newsom at the Major County Sheriffs of America Conference to discuss the concurrent investigations into the migrant flights out of Texas and into other cities around the U.S.
The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office filed a criminal case with the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office last week in connection with the transportation of 49 migrants from San Antonio to Martha’s Vineyard in September 2022 by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration.
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“The charge filed is unlawful restraint and several accounts were filed, both misdemeanor and felony. 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,” BCSO said in a statement last week.
During the early stages of the investigation, Salazar certified that the migrants, who were mostly Venezuelans, were victims of a crime.
The migrants said they were convinced to board the airplanes to the vacation spot in Massachusetts by a woman known only as “Perla,” who offered them jobs, housing and education if they went to Massachusetts.
The announcement of the criminal investigation by BCSO came the same day as reports surfaced that several dozen migrants were transported from El Paso to Sacramento, California, for the second time in four days. The California attorney general blamed DeSantis for the transports.
BCSO said on Wednesday that it is in the process of sharing information with the California Department of Justice on the cases.
Salazar issued the following statement Wednesday:
“This humanitarian crisis affects the entire country. I was fortunate to be in a position to meet and confer with Governor Newsom to discuss our respective cases regarding the migrant flights. Among topics discussed was the status and the nature of the criminal investigation. I look forward to further conversations and collaborations with authorities in other affected areas.”