California officials probe ‘state-sanctioned kidnapping’ of migrants flown in on private jet

The migrants reportedly were found with documentation claiming to be from the Florida state government

A group of migrants who crossed the border into Texas were rounded up and flown via private jet to California in the latest example of immigration hardliners using humans as political props.

More than a dozen migrants were left outside the Diocese of Sacramento's facility after they arrived in California on Saturday, reportedly with "no prior arrangement or care in place," according to California Attorney General Rob Bonta.

Californian officials determined the group had crossed into the US in Texas, but were then transported to New Mexico, where they were loaded onto a private jet and flown to Sacramento.

The migrants also possessed documentation claiming to be from the state government of Florida, according to ABC News.

Mr Bonta likened the stunt to "state-sanctioned kidnapping" and is reportedly probing whether or not civil action can be brought in response.

"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," Mr Bonta said. "We are a nation built by immigrants and we must condemn the cruelty and hateful rhetoric of those, whether they are state leaders or private parties, who refuse to recognise humanity and who turn their backs on extending dignity and care to fellow human beings."

The California Department of Justice is currently investigating the incident. The agency is trying to determine who paid for the travel and if any of those involved misled the migrants with false promises. The California Department of Justice will also examine whether or not any criminal laws were broken, including kidnapping.

A contractor reportedly approached the migrants in El Paso, Texas, and told the group they could assist them with finding jobs and accessing a migrant centre, according to local broadcaster KXTV.

California's Governor Gavin Newsom and Mr Bonta met with the group of migrants on Saturday and are working with local officials and nonprofits to ensure the individuals are treated well and cared for while immigration officials examine their situations.

The city's mayor, Darrel Steinberg, said the city would welcome the migrants with open arms, and accused the individuals who sent them of "using scared human beings to score cheap political points."

"California and the Sacramento community will welcome these individuals with open arms and provide them with the respect, compassion, and care they will need after such a harrowing experience," Mr Bonta said.

This is not the first time migrants have been used as props to try to shame so-called "sanctuary" locations around the US.

Perhaps the highest profile incident occurred on 14 September 2022, when Florida Governor Ron DeSantis sent a group of 50 primarily Venezuelan migrants on a plane to Martha's Vineyard.

The migrants were embraced by the locals. Mr DeSantis was celebrated for his ruthlessness by conservatives and condemned by liberals.

That incident resulted in a lawsuit brought against Mr DeSantis by Lawyers for Civil Rights, who are representing the migrants. They claim the defendants “manipulated [the migrants], stripped them of their dignity, deprived them of their liberty, bodily autonomy, due process and equal protection under the law,”

The attorneys have also responded to the situation in California and plan to assist the migrants left in Sacramento.

“We are investigating this latest incident, to determine whether — like our Martha’s Vineyard clients — these most recent migrants were lied to and deceived in order to induce them to travel," the group said in a statement on Monday. "We are offering legal assistance to community allies in California who are assisting the migrants, sharing lessons we learned from community-based efforts on Martha’s Vineyard. We stand united with community leaders and allies in California in decrying the shameful practice of using vulnerable people as political pawns."