Natalie Musumeci
Mon, September 19, 2022
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at a press conference in Rockledge, Florida.Paul HennessyGetty Images
Attorneys for the migrants dumped on Martha's Vineyard want a criminal probe into the incident.
They called on state and federal prosecutors to open an investigation into the "shameful political stunt."
Last week, 50 migrants were flown to Martha's Vineyard in a move orchestrated by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Attorneys for the dozens of migrants who were dumped on the Massachusetts island of Martha's Vineyard have called on state and federal prosecutors to open a criminal probe into the "shameful political stunt" orchestrated by Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The Boston-based Lawyers for Civil Rights group — which says it is representing more than 30 of the migrants — sent letters to Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey and Massachusetts US Attorney Rachael Rollins over the weekend, saying that "criminal laws were broken by the perpetrators of this stunt."
Last week, 50 undocumented Venezuelan immigrants were flown on two chartered planes from Texas to Martha's Vineyard in a move that was organized by DeSantis. No Massachusetts officials were notified that the dozens of migrants were coming.
Related video: 46 migrants found dead inside tractor trailer in San Antonio
The immigrants have since been relocated to a military base in Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
"Our clients were induced to board airplanes and cross state lines under false pretenses," Lawyers for Civil Rights' executive director Iván Espinoza-Madrigal and the group's litigation director, Oren Sellstrom, wrote in the letters.
"Individuals, working in concert with the Florida Governor, made numerous false promises to our clients, including of work opportunities, schooling for their children, and immigration assistance, in order to induce them to travel," they said.
DeSantis' office did not immediately answer when asked for comment on the attorneys' statement.
Espinoza-Madrigal and Sellstrom pointed to how migrants were reportedly told they were going to Boston and that they could find work there.
"It was only when the flight was in mid-air that they were informed they would be flown to Martha's Vineyard, rather than to Boston as many had been told," they wrote in their letters.
"Once the planes landed, those who had induced our clients to travel under these false pretenses disappeared, leaving our clients to learn that the offers of assistance had all been a ruse to exploit them for political purposes," they said.
Espinoza-Madrigal and Sellstrom said their clients were robbed of their liberty.
"The perpetrators targeted our clients based on race and national origin in order to make the political point they wanted," they said.
Espinoza-Madrigal and Sellstrom added in their letter to Rollins, "This type of conspiracy to deprive our clients of their liberty and civil rights and interfere with federal immigration proceedings must be thoroughly investigated for violations of criminal laws."
They also said the matter must be investigated for "violations of the Massachusetts Civil Rights Act and all other applicable criminal laws" in the letter to Healey.
A spokeswoman for Healey, Chloe Gotsis, told Insider on Monday: "Our office continues to review all information relevant to this situation. We are in touch with our federal and state partners, along with attorneys representing the migrants, as we gather facts and evaluate all legal options."
The office of Rollins did not immediately respond to a request for comment by Insider on Monday.
Judge prefers a trial for DeSantis’ removal of Tampa prosecutor
TALLAHASSEE — A federal judge hearing the case of Hillsborough County’s ousted state attorney appears to favor a trial over immediately reinstating Andrew Warren to decide the issue “once and for all.”
Warren was requesting a preliminary injunction to put him back to the office Gov. Ron removed him from last month.
The twice-elected state attorney was escorted from his downtown Tampa offices Aug. 4 by an armed sheriff’s deputy. The governor accused him of refusing to enforce laws involving abortion and transgender health care, and of not prosecuting certain low-level, non-violent crimes.
Warren, a progressive Democrat, contended that his removal was a political stunt by the conservative governor with whom he had previously clashed. He said DeSantis violated his free speech rights and overstepped his authority.
Warren sued DeSantis and asked the judge for a preliminary injunction to reinstate him to his job. At a hearing Monday morning, Senior U.S. District Judge Robert L. Hinkle indicated he’d like to avoid the possible back-and-forth effect of reinstating Warren and have a trial to settle the issue “once and for all.”
Hinkle asked the attorneys how quickly they could go to trial. Warren’s attorneys said a month. DeSantis’ lawyers said three to four months, although they’d need to confer with their clients to be definitive.
“The public isn’t served by yo-yoing this office,” Hinkle said.
He said the public interest was in trying the case as soon as possible to get all the facts.
This is a developing story. Stay with tampabay.com for updates.
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