DeSantis rolls out border control policy that involves military use, penalizing sanctuary cities
Eric Daugherty contributed to this report.
EAGLE PASS, Texas. (FLV) – Gov. Ron DeSantis unveiled a detailed plan to secure the border at an event Monday, making his first formal policy rollout of his 2024 presidential campaign.
“What I’ve seen at the border is just humiliating as a country – that we can’t even enforce the territorial integrity of this nation,” DeSantis said at the event.
DeSantis said a “free society” means that “your borders are enforced that your borders matter.”
“When we go in on day one, we’re going to marshal every bit of authority that we have, will work with Congress when we need to, we’ll take executive action when we can, and it will be a day one priority.”
His campaign said the Mexican government will be expected to assist in cracking down on the cartels, and that if they “drag [their feet],” he will “reserve the right” to send the military across the border and across water bodies to block cartel supplies from entering Mexico.
“If the Mexican government won’t stop cartel drug manufacturing, DeSantis will surge resources to the Navy and the Coast Guard and block precursor chemicals from entering Mexican ports,” his campaign promised.
According to the DeSantis campaign, his plan will include cutting off federal funding of non governmental organizations, ending catch and release, and more.
His campaign released a long list of specific actions DeSantis intends to take from the Oval Office, such as ending birthright citizenship for children of illegal immigrants, deporting visa overstays, allowing ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations officers to “do their jobs” regarding illegal aliens, among other actions.
The major points of his policies are to “stop the invasion,” “build the wall,” “hold cartels accountable” and “work with states to enforce the law.”
On the wall, DeSantis plans to use the the military to assist border patrol in guarding the region until physical barriers can be completed.
His campaign pointed to “600 miles” that are “open” along the border with Mexico.
He intends to activate the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to clear certain areas to help border patrol operations.
At the Texas campaign event Monday, he said the U.S. must use “force to repel” cartels entering into the country to human traffic, deal drugs, and perform other illegal activity.
He also plans to declare the cartels “Transnational Criminal Organizations” and authorize sanctions on the groups, their leaders and businesses who work with them.
In regard to working with states to enforce immigration law, he vowed that the U.S. Department of Justice will not be allowed to sue states for enforcing immigration laws.
“DeSantis will instead uphold their Article I authority to defend their state against invasion,” his campaign said.
As president, DeSantis would “impose firm penalties” on so-called “sanctuary jurisdictions,” areas that do not actively seek to deport illegal aliens or alert federal authorities of their presence.
“If these lawless jurisdictions try to thwart federal immigration law, DeSantis will cut off hundreds of millions of dollars in grants to them,” they vowed.
His campaign released a new webpage detailing the candidate’s plans here,” entitled “STOP THE INVASION – NO EXCUSES.”
On Sunday, DeSantis toured the border with Fox News’ Bill Melugin.
Within minutes, Melugin said they came across multiple groups of migrants in the process of crossing illegally, or being blocked after crossing.
NEW: I am with GOP presidential candidate/FL Gov. @RonDeSantis as he receives a boat tour of the Rio Grande in Eagle Pass, TX. Within a matter of minutes, we came across multiple groups of migrants in the process of crossing illegally, or being blocked by TX after crossing. pic.twitter.com/Hj1NF8blJY
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) June 26, 2023
In June, DeSantis traveled to Arizona and 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.
DeSantis said the country is “is falling on its face with respect to ensuring the sovereignty of our country.”
“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.
Florida’s Voice previously reported during the previously legislative session in May, DeSantis signed an anti-illegal immigration bill, mandating E-Verify, adding money for migrant transports, and increasing penalties for human smuggling.
