Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has announced a deployment of 1,100 state law enforcement agents and national guard members to the Texas-Mexico border.
It came in the wake of the expiration of Title 42, a pandemic-era policy that made it easier to expel migrants from the border. It was enacted in 2020 by former President Donald Trump where migrants had to remain in Mexico at the time.
DeSantis had given indication that he would send law enforcement personnel to the southern boarder after a war word clashing with President Joe Biden over the expiration of the pandemic boarder policy.
Law enforcement agencies, national guard, and air & ground support equipment include:
- 800 members of the Florida National Guard
- 200 agents from the state Department of Law Enforcement
- 101 Florida Highway Patrol officers
- 20 agents from the state Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission and Department of Emergency Management
- 5 fixed-wing aircraft
- 17 unmanned drones
- 10 waterborne vessels.
Florida state personnel will be at the border for 30 days. Potential extensions at the border will be determined for further notice.
“The impacts of Biden’s Border Crisis are felt by communities across the nation, and the federal government’s abdication of duty undermines the sovereignty of our country and the rule of law,” DeSantis said in a statement.
This is not the first time DeSantis has sent state personnel to the Texas-Mexico border.
DeSantis sent 100 law enforcement officers to the boarder in 2021 for over six weeks at the early stages of the Biden administration.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott had sent a letter to other governors requesting for assistance in the event of the crisis. Other governors responded to the request of Abbott that included South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem.
The Biden administration had come under fire from Congress for the border response including allowing Title 42 to end.
“Given the crisis at the border, we decided to send in the cavalry.” Taryn Fenske said in a statement, Communications Director for DeSantis. ““We didn’t want bureaucracy standing in the way of border security.”
DeSantis’ leadership comes under the test with the boarder security as he has dealt with crises in the past in his response to the hurricanes, including Hurricane Ian that helped his re-election against former Congressman Charlie Crist. Crist was a one-time governor of Florida as a Republican.
He is expected to make his announcement for the 2024 presidential run in a matter of weeks as he will enter the GOP nomination where he will have an uphill battle with Trump. No word has been said yet when the Florida governor will make his announcement.
The Florida state Senate has passed the repeal of “resign-to-run” as it will allow DeSantis to run for president while as Florida governor.
Credit: NBC NEWS
