A Texas sheriff has certified that the nearly 50 migrants flown to Martha’s Vineyard by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis were victims of a crime. That certification is a key step in qualifying them for a special visa they would not have otherwise been eligible for.
Texas’ Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar expeditiously signed certification forms for all of the migrants, according to Boston-based immigration attorney Rachel Self, who went down to San Antonio to obtain the paperwork.
“Based upon the claims of migrants being transported from Bexar County under false pretenses, we are investigating this case as possible Unlawful Restraint,” Salazar
said in a statement to GBH News. “We have submitted documentation through the federal system to ensure the migrants’ availability as witnesses during the investigation.”
The documents are key parts of applications for U-visas, which are reserved for crime victims, or people who witnessed crimes. Immigration attorneys like Self are seeking these visas for the mostly Venezuelan immigrants on the grounds that they were brought to the Vineyard under false pretenses.
“These certifications will ensure that the migrants can continue to help our law enforcement officials, and that they will be able to process and heal from the incredibly traumatic experiences they have suffered as a result of the cruel, heartless acts committed against them,” Self said in a message to GBH News.
R&I – TP
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