California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday said Florida acted illegally by sending planeloads of undocumented immigrants to the Golden State — and pointed the finger of blame at rival Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The Democratic governor said “the buck should stop” with DeSantis, a Republican presidential candidate, and that California law enforcement is investigating anyone who may have broken the law by hatching and implementing the scheme.
“Who’s ultimately accountable and responsible? I mean, the buck should stop with Ron DeSantis and the games he’s playing,” Newsom said on NBC News’ Today.
Newsom, who is also considered a potential future White House contender, derided DeSantis for playing political games with people’s lives.
“They’re human beings used as pawns for a guy’s political advancement. That’s pretty sad and pathetic,” Newsom said.
He said investigators would begin a probe to determine who physically encouraged the migrants to board at least two chartered planes in Texas for flights to Sacramento.
He did not say what charges could be brought but previously has mentioned kidnapping.
“It’s the folks on the front lines that were doing the dirty work,” Newsom said. “And that’s ultimately what we have to determine, is where the culpability lands and resides.”
DeSantis admitted ordering his state to fly migrants from the U.S.-Mexico border to California, even though the people from Venezuela and Colombia never set foot in Florida.
The GOP White House candidate said the flights were designed to illustrate the need to make it more difficult for migrants or asylum seekers to cross into the U.S., a key issue for right-wing Republican voters.
He also wants to force blue states like California to shoulder more of what he portrays as the local burden of immigration.
“I think the border should be closed. I don’t think we should have any of this,” DeSantis said Wednesday at a photo op with sheriffs in Texas. “But if there’s a policy to have an open border, then I think the sanctuary jurisdictions should be the ones that have to bear that.”
Florida officials say about 40 migrants flew willingly from El Paso, Texas, to Sacramento at taxpayer expense, disputing allegations that the individuals were coerced to travel under false pretenses.
Last fall, Florida flew 49 Venezuelans to the upscale Massachusetts island of Martha’s Vineyard in a similar publicity-grabbing stunt.
Like other liberal states and cities, California has declared itself a “sanctuary” for immigrants living in the country illegally, aiming to limit deportation and allowing them to apply for some state benefits.
Conservatives like DeSantis say those generous policies serve as a magnet for undocumented immigrants seeking a better life in the U.S.
“The sanctuary jurisdictions are part of the reason we have this problem,” DeSantis said.
DeSantis has also enacted a hardline anti-immigrant crackdown in Florida, making it a felony to transport undocumented immigrants into or around the Sunshine State, including for work.
Florida’s multi-billion dollar agriculture industry is openly panicking about the impact the law could have on their business, which heavily relies on immigrants doing low-paying jobs that would otherwise go unfilled.