Florida governor and Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis has proposed a plan that highlights the need to regain operational control of the border, confront and dismantle criminal organizations, implement physical barriers to enhance security and ensure orderly and legal processes, according to Melissa Ford Maldonado, the Secure & Sovereign Texas Policy Director at the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF).
"The time is now to secure the border, stop the cartels, protect our communities, and uphold the values that make the United States a beacon of hope and opportunity," Maldonado said in a statement.
During a campaign tour in Eagle Pass, TX, DeSantis outlined his plan for immigration and immigration policies, the Texas Tribune reported.
"When you don't have control over your own border, that's an American problem," DeSantis said.
He vowed to fully deputize all state and local governments to enforce immigration law in the event that the federal government refuses to do so. He emphasized that a state like Texas would be capable of deporting individuals across the border with a 100% success rate. DeSantis called for action rather than empty promises or rhetoric.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) enforcement statistics indicate that the number of migrant encounters in 2023 has already surpassed last year's. The OFO encountered 13,370 criminal noncitizens, while the U.S. Border Patrol reported 7,553 encounters. In May alone, the U.S. Border Patrol's nationwide checkpoint operations led to significant drug seizures, including 833 seizures of marijuana, 90 of cocaine, 105 of methamphetamine and 313 of fentanyl. Marijuana and methamphetamine have consistently accounted for the highest number of seizures since October, with 4,430 and 5,014, respectively.
"It's heartening to see presidential candidates join the state's leadership in recognizing the importance of a unified effort between states and the federal government to tackle the national security challenges and a growing humanitarian crisis, and begin to offer detailed plans to implement the policies Texas and the country deserve," Maldonado said. "Gov. DeSantis has proposed a strong plan that highlights the urgent need to regain operational control of the border, confront and dismantle criminal organizations, implement physical barriers to enhance security and ensure orderly and legal processes, and fosters cooperation with states to enforce the law."
