Despite DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’ assurances and Vice President Kamala Harris’ declaration that the southern “border is secure,” Florida and Texas governors are not convinced and are keeping the pressure on the Biden administration to make immediate and significant border policy changes.
Border state governors have complained about the impact millions of undocumented immigrants have had on their states — noting that the Biden administration gave the green light to cross the border but provided little infrastructure support to accommodate the flood of people with many needs.
Ratcheting up the pressure, in recent weeks Texas has sent busloads of immigrants to the home of Vice President Kamala Harris, and Florida sent two small planes with immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard. Despite being sanctuary cities with highly touted support of open border policies, the northern state governors and mayors expressed outrage that immigrants showed up on their doorstep.
Border state leaders note the hypocrisy — and have called out northern leaders for decrying the influx of hundreds of immigrants when policies they advocate result in southern states receiving 6,000 to 10,000 undocumented immigrants daily.
Democrats are bracing for a reported arrival of immigrants at the vacation home of President Biden in Delaware. Reportedly, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has targeted that area as a potential destination point.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said during a Tuesday afternoon briefing that, “We have received word of the flights.”
She added: “We are coordinating closely with state officials and local service providers who are prepared to welcome these families in an orderly manner as they pursue their asylum claims.”
According to the founder of the Popular Information newsletter, a chartered jet — previously used by DeSantis to send immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard — was scheduled to take off Tuesday morning from San Antonio, Texas, and make a stop in Crestview, Florida, before landing at the Delaware Coastal Airport.
The New York Post reported the Delaware Coastal Airport is located less than 20 miles from Rehoboth Beach where the Bidens bought a $2.7 million vacation home in 2017.
The Post also noted that as of Tuesday midday, “flight tracking sites listed the plane as delayed or with an ‘unknown’ status. San Antonio Kelly Field airport confirmed to the Post four hours after the departure was scheduled, no flight had taken off for Florida.”
Some believe federal authorities had thwarted the plan or that discussing the planned transport of immigrants was a ploy to see how federal authorities would respond.
Interestingly, DeSantis’ office didn’t immediately return a request for comment.
During a Monday night interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, DeSantis rejected the liberal outrage that greeted his Martha’s Vineyard flights saying their “virtue signaling” was a “farse.”
DeSantis criticized Democrats, saying: “Millions of people since Biden’s been president, illegally coming across the southern border. Did they freak out about that? No.”
DeSantis added: “You had migrants die in the Rio Grande. You had 50 die in Texas in a trailer because they were being neglected. Was there a freakout about that? No there wasn’t.”
DeSantis continued: “It’s only when 50 get put into Martha’s Vineyard … and not only did they not welcome them, but they deported them the next day with the National Guard. Give me a break.”
The Post noted that U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-San Antonio) denounced the Florida governor’s “continued use of false promises to lure people … onto planes” but did not say if he had intervened to stop the flight.
The Bexar County Sherriff, Javier Salazar, a Democrat, claims he is investigating the Martha’s Vineyard flights, alleging that the migrants were “exploited and hoodwinked into making this trip.”
DeSantis maintains that immigrants volunteered to be transported out of state and signed waivers made available in multiple languages.
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