Gabrielle Russon
Gov. Ron DeSantis is calling out other red states for not doing enough to deport undocumented people as he touted Florida’s efforts fighting illegal immigration.
“Where’s the cavalry?” DeSantis said during a Tampa press conference. “We’re not the only red state in the country.”
Earlier this year, Sheriffs in Florida’s 67 counties, the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), Florida Department of Law Enforcement and other law enforcement agencies all signed 287(g) agreements, which give them authority to help Immigration and Customs Enforcement enforce U.S. immigration law.
Those Florida agreements make up more than half of the country’s 287(g) agreements, DeSantis said, as he scolded other states for not stepping up.
“I honestly thought, when we did this … other states would follow,” DeSantis said. “We’re leading; I think others really need to do more.”
As to why other red states aren’t taking the same action, DeSantis blamed his ongoing fight with House Republicans that has dominated the Legislature this year.
“Maybe the other states saw the House shenanigans, and maybe the message got a little muddled,” DeSantis said.
Earlier this month, state leaders announced Operation Tidal Wave, which led to the arrest of 1,100 illegal immigrants.
At Monday’s press conference, Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Executive Director Dave Kerner joined DeSantis and gave an update on his Department’s efforts.
FHP is deploying about 1,800 troopers properly qualified to fight illegal immigration. They have helped arrest more than 1,020 people, Kerner said Monday.
“What that means is if you see a state trooper, he or she has federal authority to detain, investigate, apprehend and deport,” Kerner said. “We have troopers in all 67 counties of this great state that have that authority.”
DeSantis added more than 100 FHP troopers were sworn in this week as Special Deputy U.S. Marshals to give them expanded powers to execute federal warrants and remove what he called “dangerous criminal aliens from our communities.”
