Newsom urges DOJ to probe ‘alleged fraudulent scheme’ to send migrants to Martha’s Vineyard

by Chloe Folmar - 09/15/22 7:53 PM ET

Immigration — Ray Ewing/Vineyard Gazette via AP
A woman, who is part of a group of immigrants that had just arrived, holds a child as they are fed outside St. Andrews Episcopal Church, Wednesday Sept. 14, 2022, in Edgartown, Mass., on Martha’s Vineyard. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday flew two planes of immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard, escalating a tactic by Republican governors to draw attention to what they consider to be the Biden administration’s failed border policies. (Ray Ewing/Vineyard Gazette via AP)

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) sent a letter to the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday requesting an investigation into what he called an “alleged fraudulent scheme” used to send migrants to Martha’s Vineyard, Mass..

“I strongly urge the U.S. Department of Justice (US DOJ) to open an investigation into possible criminal or civil violations of federal law based on this alleged fraudulent scheme,” wrote Newsom in the letter addressed to Attorney General Merrick Garland.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) flew almost 50 migrants to Martha’s Vineyard on Wednesday in an effort to protest against the Biden administration’s and Democrats’ immigration policies.

DeSantis, who is considered likely to run for president in 2024, is joining Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) in sending migrants to Democratic-run cities after Abbott bused dozens of people to Washington, D.C., New York City and Chicago this year.

Newsom alleged in the letter that some of the migrants transported to Martha’s Vineyard say that they received false information about what would occur if they agreed to travel to Massachusetts.

“Several of the individuals who were transported to Martha’s Vineyard have alleged that a recruiter induced them to accept the offer of travel based on false representations that they would be transported to Boston and would receive expedited access to work authorization,” wrote Newsom, who is also rumored to be mulling a presidential run.

In particular, he urged the DOJ “to investigate whether the alleged fraudulent inducement would support charges of kidnapping under relevant state laws.”

The California governor also suggested that the DOJ investigate whether recruiters “targeting” migrants based on their nation of origin constitutes a “civil rights conspiracy.”

“What @GovRonDeSantis and @GregAbbott_TX are doing isn’t clever, it’s cruel,” wrote Newsom in a tweet announcing the letter to Garland.

“I’m formally requesting the DOJ begin an immediate investigation into these inhumane efforts to use kids as political pawns,” Newsom added.