Last week, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis deployed the National Guard to respond to a surge of migrants reaching Florida by boat and was harshly criticized by the Biden Administration for the action.
The executive order, penned by DeSantis, states a need for National Guardsmen as the Florida government expects more migrant arrivals in ports of entry across the state’s southern portion.
JUST IN: @GovRonDeSantis Signs Executive Order and Activates National Guard to Combat the Influx of Illegal Immigrants in the Florida Keys! Boats filled with illegal Hatians have been washing up recently! pic.twitter.com/IS9AkQM46D
— Chris Nelson 🇺🇸 🏝 (@ReOpenChris) January 6, 2023
While Florida politicians and residents were generally supportive, members of the Biden administration criticized DeSantis for the decision.
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The Biden administration is currently dealing with an unprecedented immigration crisis at the southern border, but called DeSantis’ National Guard deployment a “political stunt” and said he has “made a mockery of the system.”
Karine Jean-Pierre bizarrely says Gov. @RonDeSantisFL “has made a mockery of the system” by activating the National Guard to deal with the migrant crisis.
The U.S. Coast Guard asked DeSantis for help. pic.twitter.com/G4BRO00Qs7
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) January 13, 2023
Florida law enforcement officials, including those closest to the crisis, praised DeSantis for deploying the National Guard.
Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay, whose county is in the Florida Keys, said that DeSantis is doing a “great job” as Governor and that his decision was “appropriate” to protect Floridians.
“First and foremost, I think the Governor is doing a great job. It’s his job to protect the citizens and visitors in Florida and make sure Florida is safe, so his actions are definitely appropriate. He’s doing what he needs to do because, I believe, the federal government has failed in this aspect,” Ramsay said. “Immigration is the responsibility of the federal government. They’ve had plans and policies in place that they have not been following.”
Ramsay further said that the federal government does not seem to have a plan for dealing with illegal immigration, while DeSantis is “stepping up” to protect his state.
New from me: FL Keys Sheriff Rick Ramsay responded to the WH criticizing Gov. DeSantis for activating the National Guard to deal with increase in illegal boat landings: The feds don't "seem to have a plan, if they do, it's sure as heck not working."https://t.co/NGkyqXlkqk
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) January 15, 2023
“It’s almost turning into a humanitarian crisis for those people who are coming here who think they are going to be taken care of, and they wind up on the streets, it’s not fair to them…
The [federal] government doesn’t seem to have a plan; if they do, it’s sure as heck not working. So I think the federal government has failed,” he added. “Who has succeeded and done their job is Governor DeSantis and the state of Florida. They are stepping up and taking action that they shouldn’t have to take because this problem should not exist.”
Other states have opted to act independently of the federal government as the Biden administration continues to come up short on border security.
President Biden has the power to secure the border by enforcing federal immigration law.
He’s choosing to ignore his constitutional duty.
Texas will continue stepping up through our historic efforts to secure the border. pic.twitter.com/GYHPvLuxls
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) January 9, 2023
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has also deployed the National Guard to deal with illegal immigration and is constructing a border wall along the Texas-Mexico border.
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