Ted Cruz was forced to admit by Sean Hannity that the transportation of undocumented migrants from Florida to Martha’s Vineyard by Ron DeSantis was likely illegal.
Mr Cruz, a US Senator from Texas, cast doubt on the legality of the move when he appeared on Sean Hannity’s Fox News show.
“For you, a citizen, you could easily be arrested, although to be honest Joe Biden’s Justice Department wouldn’t arrest you,” replied Mr Cruz, who is a lawyer.
Hannity, a long-time public critic of the president, pretended to take offence at that claim.
Hannity then asked him if the law was clear on human trafficking, to which Mr Cruz uncomfortably admitted, “It is clear.”.
Mr DeSantis has faced widespread criticism after arranging flights for 50 migrants, including families with children, most of whom initially fled Venezuela, arriving unannounced in Massachusetts.
He has defended the effort, pledging that there will be “more and more” to come from a $12m state-funded programme that he has promised to “exhaust”. »