Gov. DeSantis accuses Joe Biden of breaking oath over Title 42 immigration policy

Gov. Ron DeSantis is warning that the Joe Biden administration’s decision to end a pandemic-era border policy will lead to an explosion of immigrants entering the country illegally.

President Biden’s administration on Friday announced it would end Title 42, which allows officials to expel migrants without granting them a hearing before an immigration judge. DeSantis has repeatedly criticized Biden’s border policies, and the Republican Governor took the opportunity on Monday to hammer the President on another immigration front.

“Joe Biden’s reckless border policies have allowed more than two million foreigners to enter our country illegally via the southern border,” DeSantis said in a statement. “Revoking Title 42 authority will supercharge the already skyrocketing flow of illegal aliens, increasing drug, human, and sex trafficking. Biden is failing miserably to faithfully execute the law and is violating his oath of office.”

President Donald Trump‘s administration instituted the policy in March 2020, limiting immigration and asylum-seeking under a provision in federal health law. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 1.7 million people have been expelled from the county under Title 42, including 438,000 so far in 2022.

Arizona, Louisiana and Missouri already have filed a suit to prevent the Biden administration from lifting the order.

DeSantis’ statement comes as Attorney General Ashley Moody announced Monday that Florida is leading Alabama and Georgia in a separate complaint over the Democratic President’s border policies. In her complaint, Moody argues the President is failing to perform the duties required by Congress by continuing to operate under unlawful immigration enforcement priorities.

“The Biden administration’s refusal to deport criminals here illegally after they complete their sentences makes us all less safe. Biden’s lax immigration policies are exacerbating the opioid crisis, facilitating human trafficking and further jeopardizing overall public safety,” Moody said in a statement. “As Attorney General, I will continue fighting these unlawful immigration policies until the President is forced to do his job and secure the southwest border.”

On Wednesday, DeSantis issued a statement after an immigrant who was in the country illegally was charged with killing a couple during Daytona Beach Bike Week. The statement marked the second accused murder committed by an immigrant that DeSantis has flagged in the last half year as he has lobbed attacks against Biden.

During this year’s Legislative Session, lawmakers passed legislation (SB 1808) at DeSantis’ request that would crack down on illegal immigration by allowing the state to cease business relations with contractors that help transport to Florida immigrants who are in the country illegally. The Legislature also allocated $12 million to move, to other states, immigrants the federal government relocates to Florida.