During an event in Eagle Pass, Texas, an area experiencing heavy migrant traffic over the past two years, Republican presidential candidate and Governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, declared his comprehensive approach towards border security. “Stopping the invasion” is his chief aim, he insisted. DeSantis labeled the Biden Administration as the crucial component in an illicit international human smuggling chain. DeSantis expressed his dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs:
“I look at the issue of the border,” DeSantis said, as more than a “Texas problem.” “When you don’t have control of the border, that’s an American problem,” the Governor added.
DeSantis noted fentanyl presented one example of the problems presented by “illegal aliens,” whose “burdens on the community” extend to medical care and the criminal justice system.
“People act like these are Mexicans coming in … there are people from halfway around the world coming through this southern border,” DeSantis said, noting Tajiks, Libyans, Chinese, “criminal aliens” and “members of the terrorist watch list” have come through in recent years.
DeSantis described Florida as a “maritime border state,” lambasting the Coast Guard for “dumping people in the Florida Keys.”
Addressing the issue of “asylum,” DeSantis said the concept was under “abuse,” saying people from South America come through various countries to get to the U.S. He vowed “executive action” to stop the process, estimating “90% of these cases aren’t legitimate,” and claiming people could “wait in Mexico” for adjudication.
The Florida governor conveyed his promise to bring about lasting security at the border, should he be chosen as the next President. His plan involves the construction of the wall, holding Mexican drug cartels responsible, and collaborating with states to ensure strict law enforcement. It’s well-known that the issues of illegal immigration and border security resonate deeply with Republican voters. Republican leaders have been vocal in their censure of the Biden administration for the increased instances of border crossings by migrants over the past two years.
For DeSantis, fighting illegal immigration is expected to take center stage. As governor of the Sunshine State, he has implemented several policies against illegal immigration.
DeSantis’ unveiling of his border security plan comes at a time when the border crisis continues to worsen, as evidenced by the 204,000 encounters recorded in May. This surge occurs despite the Biden administration’s proclamation of a significant reduction in encounters following the enactment of policies aligned with the termination of the Title 42 public health order on May 11.
