Less than a year and a half before the US presidential elections, the issue of immigration still marks a clear division between the most aggressive Democrats and Republicans. Among the latter, the Governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, who officially declared himself a candidate for the White House at the end of May, passed a law in February 2023 which authorizes his administration to transfer illegal immigrants to another state, even if they live in outside of Florida.
On Tuesday June 6, the authorities of this large state in the southeast of the United States confirmed to Agence France-Presse that they had organized, last week and this Monday, the sending of migrants, by plane, from Texas to ‘California . The two groups of migrants made this journey in a way “deliberate” Florida’s Emergency Management Service assured in a statement.
The company contracting the transport of migrants has entrusted them to the Catholic Charities philanthropic association, specified the Florida officials who have attached to their press release a video in which people are seen smiling, reading documents, pen in hand and assuring that they have been treated well.
The first group of migrants, from Colombia and Venezuela, arrived in Sacramento, the California capital, on Friday, and the second group, mostly from Venezuela, disembarked on Monday, according to US press reports.
Threats of legal action
Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg and religious organizations that have helped the migrants said the new arrivals were housed in two locations in the city and given food, clothing and cell phones to contact their families.
Last September, Ron DeSantis claimed responsibility for the transfer by plane of 48 migrants from Texas to the island of Martha’s Vineyard, a popular vacation spot for American high society, located in northeastern Massachusetts.
California’s Democratic governor expressed his outrage at the practice on Monday, threatening Ron DeSantis with legal action. “Ron DeSantis, you pathetic little guy”, tweeted Gavin Newsom. “It’s not Martha’s Vineyard here. A kidnapping charge? »he added, along with a screenshot of a section of California state law regarding kidnappings.
“For the progressive mayors of El Paso [Texas] and Denver [Colorado], the relocation of those who cross the border illegally into the United States is nothing new. But, when Florida sends illegal migrants to a sanctuary city, it is wrongfully accused of detention and kidnapping.”defended the Florida Emergency Management Service.
