DeSantis announces plan to organize with states and sheriffs to battle illegal immigration

SIERRA VISTA, Ariz. (FLV) – Gov. Ron DeSantis announced a plan to partner with “like minded” sheriffs and governors around the country to create a coalition of people to “fight against this [border] problem.”

He also said Florida will begin offering training on criminal interdictions and battling drug dealing to other law enforcement agencies nationwide.

The governor hosted a roundtable at the Cochise College Sierra Vista Campus in Arizona on Wednesday.

“I think we’ll be able to do a lot working together, probably not gonna be able to solve everything because we need DC to get in gear, but I think we’re going to be able to make a difference,” DeSantis said.

“I can tell you what we’ve done in Florida has save lives. It’s absolutely save lives. What you guys are doing here has save lives.”

DeSantis said Florida’s training program will help other areas learn a “model” that has had “tremendous success.”

“We have developed a training program that we believe will help law enforcement across the country mimic some of the success that we’ve had in Florida and also help to train more boots on the ground,” DeSantis said.

DeSantis said the country is “is falling on its face with respect to ensuring the sovereignty of our country.”

Participants of the roundtable included Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd and Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey.

“We’ve seen almost two and a half years of disaster upon disaster and I don’t know how you could just sit there and let the country be overrun with millions and millions of people coming illegally, and massive amounts of drugs coming in, that are having a profound impact on communities all across this country,” DeSantis said.

DeSantis said the border crisis is not a problem that only affects border counties, but other areas across the U.S., including Florida, which he described as a “maritime border” state.

The governor also said the border needs to be “shut down” and believes in constructing a border wall.

“We’ve all become border sheriffs. We’ve all become border chiefs […] To have [DeSantis] on board – I greatly appreciate it. I feel let down by our federal government,”Lea County, New Mexico Sheriff Corey Helton said.

On Tuesday, DeSantis announced that state personnel deployed to the southern border with Mexico in Texas have made contact with thousands of undocumented migrants, along with assisting in nearly 200 arrests.

According to the governor’s office, Florida agents made contact with more than 5,800 undocumented migrants in Texas.

They assisted Texas with more than 190 arrests related to human smuggling, unlawful carrying of weapons and drug paraphernalia. One suspect also reportedly had a capital murder warrant.

Personnel deployed from Florida include over 400 agents with the Florida National Guard, 101 Florida Highway Patrol troopers and more agents from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Migrant flights to California

On Tuesday, the Florida Division of Emergency Management confirmed migrants boarded flights voluntarily to California through Florida’s voluntary relocation program.

It was reported that a first flight of 16 migrants were flown to Sacramento by a private plane with documents that appeared to have been issued by Florida on Friday.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta said an investigation is underway after a second flight of 20 migrants touched down in Sacramento Monday night.

The Florida Division of Emergency Management said a contractor was present and ensured they made it safely to a third party non-governmental organization. The specific NGO, Catholic Charities, is used and funded by the federal government, according to the division.

The Florida Division of Emergency Management shared a video of migrants signing paperwork, boarding buses and planes.

One video has text caption, “We made it to California, Thank God! Very thankful to God!”

In February, DeSantis signed a bill to allow $10 million to create the “Unauthorized Alien Transport Program” within the Division of Emergency Management. The program had sat previously under the Department of Transportation, where $1.6 million was reportedly spent to send nearly 50 migrants to Martha’s Vineyard.

In May, the Florida legislature approved $12 million to help transport illegal immigrants from the state.