A.G. Gancarski
Gov. Ron DeSantis continues to outline the immigration policy he would pursue if elected U.S. President, namechecking two new countries as illustrative examples.
“The way I view immigration is, you know, if you’re in Poland or Brazil or wherever, you don’t have a right to come to this country,” DeSantis said. “People come because the American people think it’s in our interest to have people coming.”
DeSantis offered the comments during a pre-taped interview that ran Monday on Manchester, New Hampshire’s WGIR.
The Governor went on to explain how he wanted a skills-based system like other countries in the Anglosphere.
“We’re going to have a system more like Canada or Australia. It’s focusing on skills, not focusing on things like chain migration,” DeSantis said.
The Governor said he had issues with extended families being brought in under the cover of legal immigration.
“An American citizen should bring (their) foreign spouse or kids 100%. But to bring these cousins and stuff, that’s not the way,” DeSantis added. “A diversity lottery where you pull a country out of a hat and then just bring people in from there, we’re going to get rid of that and focusing more on the needs of Americans.”
He then distanced himself from an approach embraced by former President Ronald Reagan in the 1980s.
“And we’re not going to do an immigration amnesty. Reagan tried that. It didn’t work. We’re going to make sure we have a rule of law, I think.”
Interestingly, there is variance between Poland and Brazil in terms of their countries’ relative propensity to drive up America’s immigration numbers.
Per the Balkan Insight website, Poland is actually a “destination country” for migrants.
“Even before the war in Ukraine began in February 2022, Poland was the EU country that in 2021 issued the highest number of first residence permits related to employment, according to Eurostat data. The majority of permits were issued to Ukrainian citizens, but natives of Belarus as well as Central Asian and Asian countries were well represented too,” the report notes.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in what DeSantis has called a “territorial dispute,” at least 1.5 million more Ukrainians have emigrated to Poland.
Poles have emigrated to the territory that eventually became the U.S. since the early 17th century, when craftsmen arrived at the Jamestown Colony (though with fewer rights than English-speaking arrivals). However, immigration tapered off after the early 20th century, and Polish emigres have actually started to return to the country in recent years in greater numbers than those departing.
Brazilian emigration to the United States appears to be a different matter, however. As of 2019, the United States had the largest population of Brazilian immigrants in the world, with over 502,000 according to the Migration Policy website.
Florida is home to 22% of those immigrants, with Broward, Miami-Dade, Orange, and Palm Beach Counties being their preferred destinations.
53 comments
It's Complicated
August 21, 2023 at 11:01 am
Technically true. No person has a “right” to immigrate from another nation to the USA. Some countries have on occasion been granted ‘preference’ by Congress, though that still does not rise to the level of a right. DeSantis probably should NOT have named specific countries. The most broken aspect of our immigration policy is the Executive Branch (both parties) failing to implement acts of Congress on the topic, resulting in policy that is blown by the wind.
WhatNow
August 21, 2023 at 12:17 pm
“DeSantis probably should NOT have named specific countries.” – Because in doing so he’s made it abundantly clear that at least on this subject he’s a pompous ignoramus who seems to enjoy hearing himself spout nonsense.
Monika
August 21, 2023 at 2:13 pm
I wouldn’t come to US anyway. Rather live in my Poland than in drug and crime infested country.
Hey there!
August 23, 2023 at 7:14 pm
That just circles back to why he said what he said. Remember where the drugs are coming from. The e current dip shit certainly doesn’t care. We’re all just numbers to big government. Remember that.
DI
August 23, 2023 at 8:58 pm
WE DONT WANT YOU HERE ANY WAYS
Nilse
August 23, 2023 at 11:45 pm
As if I would want to move to jewnited snakes of america. 🤣😂🤣 Just like the Roman, Babylon and Greek empires have come down, so will the USA. Way to go, lard infested people! 🤣
J Nelson
August 23, 2023 at 1:22 pm
Well said.
Tom
August 21, 2023 at 11:03 am
So now he’s alienated anyone who knows a Pollock or a Brazilian – he just can’t seem to keep his foot out of his mouth. What a foolish little man.
WhatNow
August 21, 2023 at 12:13 pm
– DeSantis actually seems smarter when he doesn’t talk and just keeps his mouth shut. Which isn’t often enough.
WhatNow
August 21, 2023 at 12:10 pm
DeSantis REALLY needs to get his head out of his a*s, OBVIOUSLY has NO clue as to what he’s talking about herein. CLEARLY is either a total moron when it comes to other countries’ requirements for immigration, is simply making his own sh*t up on the subject or is deliberately lying hoping that the American public will actually believe his b.s.
Robert
August 21, 2023 at 1:42 pm
Well De Santis You just lost many votes do your immigration study before You open Your mouth!!!
Patricia Hoy Sevier
August 21, 2023 at 2:20 pm
How did he get here? FYI DeSantis, your family was not considered white/Caucasian check your immigrant status. Is this what you are hiding/running from. Generally people who are so adamant regarding others are concerned about themselves.
Vero Beach's Dr. Bob
August 21, 2023 at 8:36 pm
His birth and baptismal certificates are plain enough…he’s R.
Dion DeSantis
My Taket
August 21, 2023 at 2:30 pm
We want no bizarre Polish or untertongue Portuguese assaulting the ears of reaĺ Amerìcans . . . in their own nation!
Nilse
August 23, 2023 at 11:59 pm
Learn how to spell first!! Gosh, you’re not even fluent in your own language! No wonder you hate people who speak a foreign one fluently, such as the beautiful Portuguese language. So learn yours first and try to learn a new one. It’s very good for the brain and you clearly need to exercise it!
Manny
August 21, 2023 at 2:45 pm
What skills did his ancestors have when they came over?
Alma Felix
August 21, 2023 at 3:26 pm
My surgeon is from Brazil, and he’s the only surgeon in the US that do Colon Transplants, and he’s not the only Brazilian doctor that is here in the US. So what is the DeSantis talking about, sending these doctors and surgeons back to Brazil? DeSantis talking 🤪 crazy again as always.
J Nelson
August 23, 2023 at 1:11 pm
DeSantis said nothing about sending anyone back to their countries of origin. His point is that America must accept immigrants who have something to offer the country and that people of the world not not have a “right” to be here unless they can contribute.
Gabr
August 24, 2023 at 4:41 pm
Other than criminals, what people have nothing to offer to the US? People with no diploma? Every single contractor I have brings immigrants to do the hard manual labor. Housewives and other relatives? Giving them a better life might be reason why the hard workers accept to leave everything behind and come to the US. So please let me know what comes to your mind when you say “something to offer”. Thank you.
Mark miller
August 21, 2023 at 4:43 pm
Ron needs a visit it from Ivan Putski. The Polish Hammer!
Crizz
August 21, 2023 at 4:44 pm
Wonder if he would be so vocal about black or Muslim populated countries did he even seen Poland for that matter? What a moron and I thought about him as great vice to ……TRUMP 2024!! You lost a lot Mister
Abigail
August 23, 2023 at 5:04 am
Obviously he wouldn’t. That would be dangerous 🙂
The Poles surely won’t cut off his dorky head right up his ass, so he can safely insult them.
My Taket
August 21, 2023 at 6:51 pm
Ĺong ago, WAPE in Jacksonville would broadcast truly offensive “pollock” jokes and label them PUBLIC-SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS!
“WAPE – The Voice of Redneck America”
Christian
August 21, 2023 at 7:03 pm
Christian
Hal Yoshida
August 21, 2023 at 8:06 pm
It would be ironic to know if Ron DeSATAN’s ancestors came chained together on a immigrant boat seeking better life in America.
Seems that Brazilian and Polish people are now the new Jews, Irish and Italians from early 1900’s.
Victor A.
August 24, 2023 at 1:57 am
As a Brazilian, I can say that recent North American geopolitical interests in Brazil are considerably affected by speeches like this one. It does not give us the impression that he only expressed his opinion against immigration chains, but also his hatred against each one of us for the simple reason that we were not born in the “land of dreams”. Lastly, as said above by a Polish girl, God forbid I live in the US. The golden era of American quality of life is gone, today it is more worthwhile to seek a calmer and more stable country.
Margaret
August 21, 2023 at 8:17 pm
Supposedly, DeSantis studied History at Yale, but studying apparently did not allow him to learn anything about History.
Why single out two countries, especially one which supplied workers in the early days to build the railroads, manufacture steel, etc., and generally make America the powerhouse, industrially and culturally it became.
He is descended from immigrants, as we all in America are.
So, basically, he should just shut up and mind his manners, if he has any. Maybe, his parents didn’t teach him any.
Vero Beach's Dr. Bob
August 21, 2023 at 8:39 pm
Bashing immigrants? From the poor Italian immigrant heritage(indeed, arriving without visas) he hides? Legally named Dion DeSantis.
Hal Y
August 21, 2023 at 9:30 pm
It would be ironic to know if Ron DeSATAN’s ancestors came chained together on a immigrant boat seeking better life in America.
Seems that Brazilian and Polish people are now the new Jews, Irish and Italians from early 1900’s.
My Taket
August 21, 2023 at 10:18 pm
The DeSantises, possibly steerage . . . but probaby far more decènt than Rondy.*
Dean
August 22, 2023 at 11:21 am
DeSantis is right. The only people that should be allowed inti America is immigrants that will contribute to our nation. The way Biden is doing the immigration is wrong we have to take care of them and we have Americans needing help that won’t get help.
Dawn
August 22, 2023 at 3:59 pm
you do know that Trump had special visas for the Immigrants from Poland to build his properties and work for him. .. For some reason it was only Poland he helped get here. If you believe that only Americans should live here, then his wife or I should say wives ( Ivana was an immigrant) needs to go, his mother wouldn’t be here to give birth to him ( or maybe she laid an egg) either. His grandparents were immigrants as well.. He brought Melania’s parents here as well.. DeSantis grandparents were from Italy as well. They all need to go then!
J Nelson
August 23, 2023 at 1:19 pm
I agree, Dean. Most of the commenters here seem to be purposely demonizing DeSantis and twisting his words. DeSantis is saying that in order to stay strong, the U.S. needs to have stricter rules about allowing only immigrants who have something to contribute, similar to the requirements of Canadian and Australian governments.
João Souza Varela
August 24, 2023 at 9:15 am
I am Brazilian, and I do think any country must be and to belong to their own citizen, born citizen!!!!Then American to Americans, for the others, if Americans want and Americans allow!!!!! If any people, including Brazilians, dont agree with that, then must come back to Brasil. It is obvious that anyone must to respect and stay under laws and local costumes. Unfortunatelly, I do know many Brazilians when go to other countries as USA want to do everithyng they did in Brasil, and many of these are unrespectfull to locals and many of those who do this are disrespectful, inappropriate (even in Brazil!!!) to local laws and customs. Unfortunately, the terrible and shameful behavior of many Brazilians in the United States is relatively common! Interesting is that there are still some who talk nonsense here that they will stop doing tourism in the US, as if the US needed Brazil. It’s pathetically ridiculous!!!! Average Brazilian people culture, unfortunatelly, is rogue, bully, nosy and disrespectful in many ways. Then, USA must be for native Americans, and for foreigners if they want and when they want, it’s their land!!!!! De Sanctis is absolutely ritght when he says it will impose restrict rules to immigration as Canada and Australia does.
Ricardo B.
August 30, 2023 at 12:05 pm
You know nothing about the US history and its influence in the whole Latin American continent. Your view is simplistic, uneducated, and self-loathing.
Ron DeSantis, as such, is from a poor Italian immigrant family (who at that time had no ‘Visa’ to stay in the States). For over a century, the American population has millions of foreign-born people contributing to this country.
Save you some shame; learn about how the US foreign policy destroyed your continent for seven decades:
joão bosco de souza
September 3, 2023 at 11:52 am
Really? wht do you do in a country with so “disrepctful” with “other countries” as you mentioned????? People like you Brasil is full!!!!Then, you do look the way I described above. At least ,you leave this impression, as a standard brazilian, adults behaiving as a spoiled child when dont have their needs attended, exactly in the way they want, use to huff their “executioners”. Standard Brazilian culture is impracticable. Luckly, dont have strength enough to meddled or influence extensevely other people, other countries!
Bob Wayne
August 24, 2023 at 12:05 pm
Biden ‘isn’t doing immigration wrong’ – it’s the LAW that determines who is allowed to enter. The LAW says that certain people may be sponsored to join a spouse or parent in the USA. It’s certainly not ‘cousins and whoever’ like DeSantis claims. Only a select group of people can be considered. These aren’t the same people who attempt to cross the border or claim asylum, these are people LEGALLY allowed to join relatives or who qualify for the Diversity Lottery (which has a who set of requirements- they don’t just let anyone in. The Diversity Lottery isn’t a Biden invention, it’s been held FOR DECADES. Congress can change the laws – they don’t. It’s not up to Biden. Don’t blame immigrants for Americans not getting the help they need. The richest country in the world we could help every single American citizen…if we wanted to. We don’t. Other than use them as an excuse not to help others.
Marcus Seade
August 22, 2023 at 11:32 am
The majority of the brazilian people is not interested in immigrating to the US. Actually, brazilians represent a large contribution to the tourism industry in Florida, if Mr. DeSantis don’t want us there, de can visit somewhere else.
Gus
August 23, 2023 at 11:52 am
With a super Latino last name, he wants to trash-talk the Brazilian community. It’s just funny how dumb he’s being…
Thiago
August 23, 2023 at 12:18 pm
As brazilian, went to US a few times and always spent a lot of money in tourism by injecting on your touristic business as well local stores, etc. Would be nice for americans to analyze the ranking of most important countries for your sector (tourism) on yearly basis. If brazilian decide to boycot and choose other countries, certainly he would be forced to change his xenophobic speech.
Rafael
August 23, 2023 at 1:00 pm
As a Brazilian that don’t live and don’t want to live in USA, I agree that every country has the right to decide their immigration policy and no one has the right to be accepted. But there is better ways to say this without sounding like a xenophobe.
Ricardo B.
August 30, 2023 at 12:11 pm
As a skilled Brazilian legal immigrant living in the US, I can tell you that immigration reform coined by DeSantis is a way to whistle to xenophobes. It has nothing about regulating immigration; it is about crushing it.
Even highly skilled immigration has been crushed during Trump’s administration. Don’t buy this idea.
While I agree with you that countries should create their immigration policies. However, in the particular case of the US (who meddled extensively in other countries’ politics and overthrew governments throughout history), the country should have a higher moral responsibility to intake refugees and economic immigrants.
Bob Morrow
August 23, 2023 at 3:12 pm
But to bring these cousins and stuff, that’s not the way…
Which is a LIE because you can`t bring in `cousins and stuff`, you can only sponsor immediate relatives, and the process takes a lot of time and money. He also hasn`t a clue as to how the Diversity Lottery even works.
John Carter
August 23, 2023 at 6:10 pm
DeSaints will loose by his mouth. The immigration system in the USA is a mess, though.
Even visas for high skilled workers don’t work as it should. Canada and Australia indeed have a system who choose the most skilled professionals to immigrate in a fair and organized way.
That’s what must be fixed.
DI
August 23, 2023 at 9:00 pm
Journalist it is a little lost, moving from Ukraine to Poland you dont even need a passport to do so, it is a bad example!, compraring South Amerincans moving to USA, DEF A DEMOCRAT WHACK
Carlos Eduardo
August 23, 2023 at 9:36 pm
No problem here in Brazil, I don’t have to sell a kidney just to go see the doctor in the office. If I have a stomach ache now I go and come back from the hospital in a good way and if in doubt I still leave with the doctor’s whatssap. (Excuse the sarcasm but I’m not kidding.)
Adilson
August 30, 2023 at 12:21 pm
You his the nail on the head! Yes. The gold times of the American dream are gone. The US dramatically benefits from the remaining immigrants who still want to stay in the country. Immigration to the US is a mess. It is costly, and it takes years.
Highly skilled Brazilians would have better luck in Canada, Australia, or even Portugal.
Adilson
August 30, 2023 at 12:21 pm
You hit**** the nail on the head! Yes. The gold times of the American dream are gone. The US dramatically benefits from the remaining immigrants who still want to stay in the country. Immigration to the US is a mess. It is costly, and it takes years.
Highly skilled Brazilians would have better luck in Canada, Australia, or even Portugal.
João Souza Varela
August 24, 2023 at 9:16 am
am Brazilian, and I do think any country must be and to belong to their own citizen, born citizen!!!!Then American to Americans, for the others, if Americans want and Americans allow!!!!! If any people, including Brazilians, dont agree with that, then must come back to Brasil. It is obvious that anyone must to respect and stay under laws and local costumes. Unfortunatelly, I do know many Brazilians when go to other countries as USA want to do everithyng they did in Brasil, and many of these are unrespectfull to locals and many of those who do this are disrespectful, inappropriate (even in Brazil!!!) to local laws and customs. Unfortunately, the terrible and shameful behavior of many Brazilians in the United States is relatively common! Interesting is that there are still some who talk nonsense here that they will stop doing tourism in the US, as if the US needed Brazil. It’s pathetically ridiculous!!!! Average Brazilian people culture, unfortunatelly, is rogue, bully, nosy and disrespectful in many ways. Then, USA must be for native Americans, and for foreigners if they want and when they want, it’s their land!!!!! De Sanctis is absolutely ritght when he says it will impose restrict rules to immigration as Canada and Australia does.
Bob Wayne
August 24, 2023 at 12:16 pm
There already ARE rules restricting legal immigration. He’s wrongfully claiming that the law allow extended families (cousins, in-laws, etc.) to enter, which is not true. Only immediate family is allowed to be sponsored. The Diversity Lottery is a legal method to allow people from under-represented countries to APPLY to go to the USA. There are strict rules who can apply and what requirements they have to fill. Brazilians haven’t even been eligible to apply for some years now. This has nothing to do with people showing up at the border trying to cross illegally or claim asylum, this about people following THE US LAW, which allows close members of the family to enter. Brazil does the exact same thing, it grants a vista do permanencia to spouses or children of a Brazilian citizen who are from other countries. This also has nothing to do with Brazilians who visit the States as tourists. Your blanket opinions on Brazilians may be true of a small minority, but most Brazilians don’t come close to being that way.
Luis
August 24, 2023 at 12:02 pm
The Origin, Ron DeSATIS we have a popular saying that goes “spit in the dish you eat”. If it weren’t for the bravery of Brazilian soldiers, maybe Mr. Ron DeSantis wouldn’t even exist. “The Battle of Monte Castello was fought at the end of World War II, between Allied troops and German Army forces, who were trying to contain their advance in Northern Italy. The battle marked the presence of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force (FEB) in the conflict. The battle dragged on for three months, from November 24, 1944 to February 21, 1945, during which six attacks were carried out, with a large number of Brazilian casualties due to various factors. Four of the attacks were unsuccessful, due to strategic failures, but the battle came to an end on February 21, 1945 with the victory of the Allies, the defeat of the Germans and the capture of Monte Castello by Brazilian troops.[2] (Font: https://pt. wikipedia.org/wiki/Batalha_de_Monte_Castello)
Many Brazilians died to protect their ancestors, and today you repay them in this way. Are you sure you don’t have something better to offer Brazilians?
I’m Luis, Brazilian, of Italian descent, immigrant in the United States, contributing to the development of this country, of a wonderful people.
Willians
August 25, 2023 at 8:54 pm
I’m Brazilian, I live in the USA, my ex-wife is in the navy, all Americans have always been nice to me, I’ve never had a problem, I work as a W2 and I pay my taxes…. including the person who hired me he was conservative and always voted for trump, and he gave me a job opportunity … so when I see this type of comment (governor) it scares me a little, because I am friends with conservatives and most of them don’t are so. (Of course, they don’t like people who go illegally here, but they don’t talk with all that hate like this governor)
Adilson
August 30, 2023 at 12:31 pm
Hi Willians. I am in the same boat as you. I have been living in the US for the last 15 years. Please keep in mind that your employer hired you because it benefits him. Just like mine, hired because of that.
You have not been discriminated against yet – at least not directly. But trust me, it will eventually hit you (yourself or your kids). The US is a fantastic country, but divisiveness does exist. DeSantis rhetoric fuels it further and shapes people’s perception of certain groups. Brazilian is a term that Americans don’t hear often (some barely know where it is located). If he keeps mentioning this nationality in his speeches, resentment will certainly escalate.
The US meddled tremendously in other countries’ fates. ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wIOqHSsV9c )
Again, the US is a fantastic country. But kissing xenophobes a***s does not make sense.
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