(NewsNation) — Migrants from Venezuela and Colombia were flown to Sacramento, California, on a chartered plane and dropped off outside the Roman Catholic Diocese church Friday, and Sacramento officials are furious.
The 16 migrants entered the U.S. in El Paso, Texas, and were processed by U.S. immigration officials.
After receiving court dates for their asylum cases, the migrants were approached by individuals representing a private contractor offering to help migrants get to their final destinations and to get jobs, according to Eddie Carmona, campaign director at PICO California.
According to Carmona, the migrants were lied to and had no idea they were being taken to Sacramento.
PICO California is a faith-based community organizing group that has been assisting migrants who have entered the U.S.
Gov. Gavin Newsom and California Attorney General Rob Bonta met with the migrants Saturday and learned they were transported from Texas to New Mexico before being flown to Sacramento on a chartered jet.
“These individuals were transported from Texas to New Mexico before being flown by private chartered jet to Sacramento and dumped on the doorstep of a local church without any advance warning,” Newsom said in a statement.
Newsom is working with the California Department of Justice to find out who paid for the migrants’ travel and “whether the individuals orchestrating this trip misled anyone with false promises or have violated any criminal laws, including kidnapping,” the statement added.
“We are working closely with the mayor’s office, along with local and nonprofit partners to ensure the people who have arrived are treated with respect and dignity, and get to their intended destination as they pursue their immigration cases,” the statement said.