Wine Country Times

A group of 16 South American migrants who entered the U.S. through Texas, were allegedly flown via chartered plane to California and abandoned outside a church in Sacramento.

According to an AP News report, the 16 Venezuelan and Colombian migrants legally entered the country via Texas, yet they were transported by a chartered plane to California and left in Sacramento. The migrants had undergone the necessary procedures and had court dates scheduled for their asylum cases. But then, a private contractor contacted the families, reaching their intended destinations. Unbeknownst to the migrants, they were victims of deception as they discovered their true location and unfamiliar surroundings upon arrival in Sacramento.

"State-sanctioned kidnapping is not a public policy choice; it is immoral and disgusting," California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement issued on June 3 on his website. "We are a nation built by immigrants and we must condemn the cruelty and hateful rhetoric of those, whether they are state leaders or private parties, who refuse to recognize humanity and who turn their backs on extending dignity and care to fellow human beings."

Bonta emphasized the importance of acknowledging the contributions of immigrants in shaping the nation. He condemned the cruelty and prejudice by both government officials and private entities and urged society to embrace a more compassionate approach and extend a hand of dignity to all immigrants.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom addressed the situation on June 3, saying several state agencies were working to unravel the case surrounding the incident.

Newsome also said the California Department of Justice had launched an investigation into the case, saying the office would learn to identify those responsible for financing and arranging the migrants' transportation, as well as finding out whether any legal violations have taken place. Newsome said he was considering charges related to kidnapping.

As for the migrants, Bonta added that "California and the Sacramento community will welcome these individuals with open arms and provide them with the respect, compassion, and care they will need after such a harrowing experience.”