The migrants who were flown from Texas to Martha's Vineyard may have been given the chance to stay in the US indefinitely.
The Texas Tribune reported that the nearly 50 migrants who flew from San Antonio to Massachusetts were the victims of a crime.
"Based on the claims of migrants being transported from Bexar County under false pretenses, we are investigating this case as possible Unlawful Restraint," the sheriff said. The documentation was submitted through the federal system to make sure the migrants were available to testify.
The migrants said that a woman named Perla promised them a better life in Massachusetts after they boarded the flights. The lawyers for the migrants said they were given a brochure that was misleading.
The migrants' lawyers tried to help them get visas by certifying them as victims of crimes.
The U visa can be applied for by victims of certain crimes. According to the Department of Homeland Security, the U visa can give the victims and their families temporary immigration status, including the ability to work, if approved.
A certification from a law enforcement official that says they were either a victim or witness to a crime is required in order to qualify for a U visa.
According to Rachel Self, a Massachusetts immigration attorney working with the migrants, "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, callous acts
Insider's request for comment was not responded to by the office of the governor.
Republican lawmakers are trying to draw attention to the Biden administration's immigration policies by flying to Martha's Vineyard. Texas and Arizona have taken asylum-seekers on buses.
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