A.G. Gancarski
State troopers aren’t just running speed traps these days. Not in Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Florida.
DeSantis continues to focus state resources on “being part of the solution” on immigration enforcement, an issue that has garnered him renewed national prominence in the Donald Trump era.
Speaking in Panama City, he and other officials highlighted a “first-of-its-kind” operation which saw the Florida Highway Patrol work with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in the Panhandle to target illegal immigrants, with 200 already apprehended and more to come.
Those include 37 “illegals” who no-showed court proceedings, eight who had been deported and reentered the country, and those who fled and resisted arrest, including physically.
“This operation sends a clear and uncompromising message,” DeSantis said.
DeSantis also addressed an adverse ruling in federal court Thursday. Kathleen Williams, a Judge appointed by President Barack Obama, ruled that temporary fences and lighting must be dismantled at Alligator Alcatraz within 60 days and that new inmates couldn’t be imported.
The state is appealing that ruling.
“This was not something that was unexpected. This was a Judge that was not going to give us a fair shake. This was preordained, very much an activist Judge that is trying to do policy from the bench,” he said.
“This is not going to deter us. We’re going to continue working on the deportations, advancing that mission. We knew that this would be something that would likely happen, and we will respond accordingly.”
Additionally, DeSantis continued his harangues about Harjinder Singh, who investigators crossed the border illegally before making an illegal U-turn on the Florida Turnpike, killing three people.
Singh reportedly obtained a commercial driver’s license in two West Coast states. DeSantis called the incident “totally avoidable.”
“This guy didn’t care,” DeSantis said, noting that Lt. Gov. Jay Collins brought the suspect back to Florida to “face justice” and “potentially spend decades in prison” before being deported.
DeSantis again suggested the company that employed Singh and the state of California ultimately may be exposed legally, though he stopped short of outlining specific paths to remedy.
