DeSantis says he’s sending 1,000 officers to southern border
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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said he’s sending hundreds of law enforcement officers — along with aircraft, drones and boats — to Texas, deploying state resources toward an issue he is likely to make a centerpiece of his expected presidential run. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight It’s the second time in two years that Florida has entered into an accord with Texas for help at the U.S.-Mexico border. But in 2021, Florida’s assistance was much more modest — 50 officers. This time, DeSantis (R) is promising to send 1,301.
The move comes at the request of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R), who on Tuesday “urged the nation’s Governors” to help with border security in his state, according to a statement from his office.
DeSantis was quick to answer, and the personnel and equipment may start heading to Texas as early as Wednesday. The deployment comes amid DeSantis’s ongoing criticism of President Biden and federal immigration policies.
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“Given the crisis at the border, Florida decided to send the cavalry — law enforcement agencies and their counterparts have been in contact with Texas officials for over a week,” DeSantis communications director Taryn Fenske said in a statement. “Governor DeSantis won’t let bureaucracy stand in the way of border security.”
According to the assignments listed in the description from DeSantis’s office, the Del Rio and Rio Grande Valley sectors in Texas will each see the deployment of 50 Florida Highway Patrol troopers, 10 state game wardens and 10 criminal investigators. The deployments will last for 31 days.
Last week, DeSantis signed into law a sweeping immigration bill that gives him more money to resume a controversial migrant relocation program. The new law limits social services for immigrants who don’t have permanent legal status and requires hospitals that accept Medicaid to ask patients their citizenship status on intake forms.
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The law also expands the required use of E-Verify, a federal system that determines whether people can legally work in the United States, to cover all businesses with more than 25 employees. Opponents of the law say industries that rely on immigrant workers — including agriculture and tourism — will lose workers as a result.
Border crossings have decreased by 50 percent since Title 42 policies limiting crossings ended and President Biden began enforcing new restrictions last week, but it’s unclear whether the decline in illegal entries will continue.
DeSantis has used the situation at the border to repeatedly chastise Biden as he ramps up his appearances in states with early presidential primaries. Last year, he flew several dozen Venezuelan migrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard, a move that was sharply condemned by human rights advocates. The governor is expected to announce his bid for the GOP presidential nomination in the coming weeks.
“The impacts of Biden’s Border Crisis are felt by communities across the nation, and the federal government’s abdication of duty undermines the sovereignty of our country and the rule of law,” DeSantis said in a statement released by his office Tuesday.
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Source: The Washington Post
