A Texas sheriff said Monday night his agency will launch an investigation into the transfer of 48 Venezuelan immigrants from the state to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.   

  Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar, a Democrat, told reporters at a news conference Monday that he understood a Venezuelan immigrant was paid a “bird dog fee” on Wednesday to recruit 50 immigrants from a San Antonio resource center.   

  The sheriff said he believes laws were not only broken in Bexar County to transport nearly 50 immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard, but that parallel laws were also broken on the federal side.

Hear from Venezuelan immigrant sent to Martha’s Vineyard

  A total of 48 migrants were “lured” into a hotel where they were housed for two days, according to Salazar.   

  The migrants were taken to Florida and then taken to Martha’s Vineyard under “false pretenses,” he said.   

  The sheriff said they were taken to Martha’s Vineyard for a “photo shoot and trapped.”  He believes the migrants were “exploited and hoodwinked” into making the trip for political posturing.   

  The sheriff has spoken with an attorney representing some of the immigrants for first-hand information about what happened, Salazar told reporters.   

  The allegations he has heard so far are “disgusting and violate human rights,” he said.   

  Salazar said he believes there should be accountability for what happened.   

  Florida Gov. Ron DeSandis has claimed credit for moving immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard.  At a news conference Friday, DeSantis said everyone signed waivers and knew where they were going.  “It’s obvious that’s where they were going,” he said, adding, “it’s all voluntary.”   

  When asked about the investigation, DeSantis spokeswoman Taryn Fenske gave CNN the following statement: “Immigrants were more than willing to leave Bexar County after being abandoned, homeless and ‘left to fend for themselves. ».   

  “Florida gave them an opportunity to seek greener pastures in a sanctuary jurisdiction that offered them greater resources, as we expected.  Unless the MA National Guard has abandoned these individuals, they were given room, board, clothing, and more options to succeed after being unfairly lured into the United States, unlike the 53 immigrants who died in a truck that was found abandoned in Bexar County in June.  ”

The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office launched an investigation into the migrants who were taken from the Migrant Resource Center, located in Bexar County, TX, and transported to Florida, where they were eventually released to fend for themselves in Martha’s Vineyard, MA. — Bexar County Sheriff’s Office (@BexarCoSheriff) September 19, 2022 Salazar told reporters he would cooperate with federal agencies and welcomed the White House’s help.

  “Absolutely parts of this case should be federalized, and there should be some coordination that goes along with that,” he said.  “So absolutely, I would welcome the White House or anybody else on the federal side to call us and help us in whatever way they can,” he said.   

  President Joe Biden met with members of his administration on Friday to talk about immigration issues.   

  A White House official said the meeting was planned before Texas Gov. Greg Abbott sent two busloads of migrants to Vice President Kamala Harris’ residence in Washington on Thursday and DeSandis sent two planes carrying migrants to Martha’s Vineyard.   

  Biden has accused Republicans of “playing politics with human beings” and “using them as props” in response to these stunts.