Ron DeSantis, Florida Governor, and 2024 presidential candidate, spoke of his plans to increase border security in Texas as part of policies he promises to implement if elected president.
DeSantis spoke at a conference in Eagle Pass, Texas on June 26. He outlined his plans to enhance measures addressing drug cartels operating along the Texas-Mexico border.
He plans to send more than 1,100 Florida law enforcement and coast guard members to the Texas border with Mexico as part of his strategy.
DeSantis’s plan involves completing the construction of the border wall between the United States (U.S.) and Mexico. He intends to apply the U.S. military in combating drug cartels within Mexican territory.
DeSantis’s Texas border concerns arise from the heavy drug trafficking and fentanyl crisis that has threatened the livelihood of the state’s residents in recent months.
The governor’s plans also include prioritizing the deportation of individuals who overstay their visas, and withholding federal grants from cities and organizations that assist undocumented immigrants.
The plan also seeks to end citizenship for newborns in the United States whose parents are undocumented immigrants, a provision currently protected by the 14th Amendment.
Earlier this year, DeSantis signed an anti-illegal immigration bill in Florida that requires employers to use E-Verify on their employees. This is a web-based system that cross-references the information entered on an employee’s I-9 form with the records available to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration to confirm individuals are authorized to work in the United States.
The bill also prohibited local jurisdictions from issuing IDs to undocumented immigrants. However, The bill has also increased human trafficking and drug smuggling penalties.
DeSantis’s decision to use aggressive force at the borders follows the governor’s previous decision in 2021, sending 100 Florida law enforcement officers to the Texas border.
DeSantis announced his Republican presidential candidacy for the 2024 elections via Twitter on May 24.
