Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom of California expressed his strong disapproval towards Republican Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida following the arrival of 36 undocumented immigrants in Sacramento on two private flights. In a tweet, Newsom criticized DeSantis, describing him as a small and insignificant individual and suggesting that he should face legal consequences akin to kidnapping charges.
“Every person who, being out of this state, abducts or takes by force or fraud any person contrary to the law of the place where that act is committed, and brings, sends, or conveys that person within the limits of this state, and is afterwards found within the limits thereof, is guilty of kidnapping,” the excerpt of the legal statute that Newsom included in his tweet reads.
The migrants reported being approached by a private contractor in El Paso, Texas, who offered them employment opportunities. However, upon reaching Sacramento, the capital of California, they were abandoned at a Roman Catholic church.
According to California officials, they held the belief that DeSantis could potentially be held accountable for the migrants being transported to Sacramento.
“We can confirm these individuals were in possession of documentation purporting to be from the government of the State of Florida,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a statement following the arrival of the initial group of migrants.
Bonta further characterized the incident as a form of kidnapping sanctioned by the state, denouncing it as morally repugnant and abhorrent. While DeSantis, a contender for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, has not officially acknowledged any involvement in the matter. Prior to this, Newsom urged the federal government to take action to address the detrimental financial impact caused by the provision of social services to undocumented immigrants in California.
Having already sparked animosity from Newsom in the past, DeSantis responded with a retort of his own after the California governor criticized him for dispatching migrants to Martha’s Vineyard.
