Democratic leaders in California and Texas urged the Justice Department on Thursday to analyze a Florida program that has solicited asylum seekers in Texas and despatched them with no obvious discover to Martha’s Vineyard and Sacramento.

In a letter that referred to as the state-funded initiative an “ongoing scheme” that seemed to be pushed by Florida’s Republican governor and based mostly on deception, Gov. Gavin Newsom of California; the state’s lawyer common, Rob Bonta; and the sheriff of Bexar County in Texas, Javier Salazar, requested for an examination of the Florida program for attainable violations of federal legislation.

“It is unconscionable to use people as political props by persuading them to travel to another state based on false or deceptive representations,” the officers wrote within the letter to Merrick B. Garland, the U.S. lawyer common.

While the Democratic leaders acknowledged that nongovernmental organizations and native officers have despatched migrants from border states to different U.S. locations, they argued that the Florida program was totally different as a result of it deceived individuals by promising them jobs and shelter with out offering such choices. In Sacramento and Martha’s Vineyard, immigrants ended up on the doorsteps of native church buildings and spiritual organizations that weren’t anticipating company.

Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida and Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas, Republicans who’ve claimed accountability for sending migrants to Democratic-led states, stated the people volunteered to journey elsewhere. They have additionally framed the strikes as a protest in opposition to President Biden’s border insurance policies, and argued that Democratic cities and states which have declared themselves sanctuaries in opposition to immigration enforcement ought to welcome migrants.

Democratic leaders, together with Mr. Bonta and Mr. Newsom, have in return denounced the relocations as a partisan and callous political stunt. For the previous 12 months, Mr. Newsom has attacked Mr. DeSantis and Mr. Abbott for his or her insurance policies on abortion, weapons and immigration whereas encouraging different Democrats to name out Republican-led states. The California governor flew to Idaho this week to rally Democratic voters.

Mr. DeSantis didn’t instantly reply to requests for touch upon the decision for a federal investigation. A spokesman for Mr. Newsom stated that Mr. Garland’s workplace had not but replied to Thursday’s request.

The letter on Thursday targeted on the strikes underwritten by a Florida-funded “Unauthorized Alien Transport Program,” which has claimed accountability for relocating about 100 migrants to date. The program has transported far fewer individuals than Texas, however has operated extra stealthily by dropping off migrants with no warning.

Last month, the Florida program paid for 2 planeloads of Latin American migrants to fly to Sacramento, prompting civil and legal investigations by the California Justice Department. After a number of of the migrants stated they’d taken the flight as a result of a program contractor had promised them jobs and housing earlier than leaving them with none assets, Mr. Newsom instructed that “kidnapping” costs needs to be filed in opposition to Mr. DeSantis, who’s working for president.

An analogous relocation final September of a number of dozen Latin American migrants to Martha’s Vineyard, a liberal enclave in Massachusetts, prompted an investigation in Texas by Sheriff Salazar. He additionally decided that false guarantees of housing, training and employment had been made. A referral for potential legal prosecution in that case is pending with the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office, the Thursday letter stated.

Legal analysts say that any civil or legal prosecution could be difficult to pursue, and can in all probability activate whether or not the migrants had been misled into their relocations. Many of those that disembarked in California and Massachusetts had been carrying paperwork indicating that they’d agreed to be transported.

The Texas sheriff and the California authorities contended that federal officers ought to get entangled as a result of the Florida program had crossed state traces.

“Although separate investigations into potential violations of state laws remain active, the U.S. Department of Justice (USDOJ) has a unique capability to investigate cases where, as here, the scheme stretches from Massachusetts to California,” the letter stated.