A Texas law enforcement agency said Monday that it has opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis political stunt involving the relocation of dozens of migrants from the Lone Star State to the wealthy Massachusetts island of Marthas Vineyard last week.

Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar was highly critical of the anti-immigrant operation, saying at a news conference Monday that the 48 people most of whom are from Venezuela were apparently exploited and hoodwinked into leaving a migrant resource center in his county by a hired scout, shuttled onto a flight to Florida and then unceremoniously stranded in Marthas Vineyard despite being told they were headed to Boston to receive expedited work papers.