Gavin Newsom demands DOJ probe Florida for 'unconscionable' migrant flight 'scheme': report

One month after migrants were dropped off in California with no explanation, the state's Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Ron Bonta are both urging the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the state of Florida, Politico reports.

On June 2, a group of 16 migrants "were taken from El Paso, Texas, to New Mexico, and then flown by private chartered jet to Sacramento where they were left on the doorstep of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento."

Immediately following the incident, the California governor said he and Bonta were "met with the migrants, and that he is working with Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg's office as well as area nonprofits 'to ensure the people who have arrived are treated with respect and dignity, and get to their intended destination as they pursue their immigration cases.'"

READ MORE: 'Moral travesty': Gavin Newsom to probe whether migrants flown to Sacramento were kidnapped

Newsom added, "My administration is also working with the California Department of Justice to investigate the circumstances around who paid for the group's travel and whether the individuals orchestrating this trip misled anyone with false promises or have violated any criminal laws, including kidnapping."

In the letter sent to the DOJ Thursday, Newsom and Bonta wrote, "Although separate investigations into potential violations of state laws remain active, the U.S. Department of Justice (USDOJ) has a unique capability to investigate cases where, as here, the scheme stretches from Massachusetts to California."

Politico notes:

The Thursday letter does not address a similar program orchestrated by Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who has taken credit for busing over 20,000 people across the country to Chicago, Washington, D.C., and New York City as well as more than 100 people to Los Angeles in recent weeks. By comparison, DeSantis has transported about 100 migrants total to Massachusetts and California.

The letter continues, "It is unconscionable to use people as political props by persuading them to travel to another state based on false or deceptive representations. We urge USDOJ to investigate potential violations of federal law by those involved in this Scheme."

READ MORE: California AG threatens legal action against Florida for migrant flight to Sacramento

Politico's full report is available at this link.