On Friday, 16 migrants from Venezuela and Colombia were dropped off at the Diocese of Sacramento, California, report Tori Apodaca and Cecilio Padilla of CBS Sacramento. 

Representatives of faith-based groups PICO California and Sacramento ACT said in a press conference on Friday that migrants apparently were approached by a private contractor in El Paso, Texas. They were offered help to get jobs and other support but instead were transported to New Mexico and then flown to California. 

The office of California’s attorney general, Rob Bonta (D), said Sunday that the migrants have documents that mention the Florida Division of Emergency Management and the state’s "voluntary transportation program," per Shawn Hubler, Nicholas Nehamas and Emily Cochrane at The New York Times. 

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) said in a press statement that the California Department of Justice would investigate the circumstances around the transportation of migrants, including if someone misled them "with false promises or have violated any criminal laws." 

Bishop Jaime Soto of the Diocese of Sacramento said organizations are supporting the migrants with housing and trying to figure out what’s next in their immigration process, Roxanne Elias of ABC10 reports. "It’s just heartbreaking that having come to the United States that they would be treated in that fashion, that they would be deceived," Soto said. 

Welcome to Monday’s edition of The Forum Daily. I’m Dan Gordon, the Forum’s strategic communications VP, and the great Forum Daily team also includes Clara Villatoro, Ashling Lee and Katie Lutz. If you have a story to share from your own community, please send it to me at [email protected]. 

BORDER REALITIES — Border crossings in the southwest U.S. have hit a low since the start of the Biden administration. Julia Ainsley and Didi Martinez of NBC News analyze four key factors that have contributed to the decline. And for an op-ed in The Hill, our President and CEO, Jennie Murray, listens to people actually at the border and emphasizes that Congress is responsible for solutions that emphasize security and compassion.  

GOP BATTLE — Republican governors, including some who are (potential) presidential candidates, are competing to display their strictness on illegal immigration, reports Stef W. Kight for Axios. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin are among governors who’ve sent National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border. But with the declining number of border crossings, the moves "appear more political than practical," Kight reports. 

FINE PRINT — The health care labor shortage has led to the hiring of thousands of international professionals. But some contracts include exorbitant penalties if they end the contract early, trapping many immigrants in harsh work conditions, reports Shannon Pettypiece of NBC News. More than a dozen nurses have been sued for $100,000 or more since 2022 by CommuniCare for leaving their jobs early. "These nurses are brought over, they’re promised the American dream and it’s a bait and switch," said Magen Kellam, a lawyer representing one of the sued nurses. 

CULINARY INFLUENCE — Immigrants are changing what Americans eat through their culinary influence in cities large and small, reports Joel Rose of NPR. The culinary awards for restaurants granted by James Beard Foundation offer proof: For today’s ceremony, "more than half of the 75 finalists  vying for the chef and baker awards are immigrants or children of immigrants from all over the globe."  

Thanks for reading, 

Dan 

P.S. The U.S. added 339,000 jobs in May, exceeding expectations. Immigrants are one reason why, Catherine Rampell writes in her Washington Post column.