Presidential candidate and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis unveiled a restrictive new border plan that includes ending birthright citizenship and many other policies that largely mirror former United States President Donald Trump's.
The lawmaker's plan also includes ramping up border enforcement, repelling the invasion at the US southern border, and using the "levers at our disposal" to ensure cooperation from Mexico.
Ron DeSantis' New Border Plan
DeSantis revealed the details of his new plan during a campaign trip to the border town of Eagle Pass, Texas. It marks the beginning of a new, policy-focused phase of the Florida governor's presidential run that his campaign has labeled as a more direct effort to challenge President Joe Biden.
Furthermore, the revelation of the plan also acts as an attempt to criticize Trump, the current frontrunner for the GOP's 2024 White House nomination. The Republican businessman's political brand was largely built on his hardline and sometimes inflammatory rhetoric on immigration and border security, as per the Miami Herald.
In a statement on Monday, DeSantis said that he was motivated to bring this issue to a conclusion because he has listened to the call of the people in DC for several years. He argued that lawmakers from both sides have always talked about the topic but have never done anything to conclude it.
The Florida governor committed to ending what is known as "catch and release," which is the policy that allows migrants to be released into the United States while they are waiting for their asylum hearing. DeSantis plans to reimpose the "Remain in Mexico" policy and finish Trump's long-promised border wall.
Furthermore, DeSantis said that Border Patrol agents should be able to "respond with force" if they catch any drug smugglers trying to sneak into the US He said that if cartels are passing through the border wall undetected, they are going to end up "stone-cold dead" due to that bad decision.
Highly Aggressive Policies
Despite his confidence, DeSantis' new policies face tall odds, with some requiring the reversal of legal precedents, approval from other nations, or an amendment to the US Constitution. However, the Florida governor on Monday excoriated both Democratic and Republican leaders for failing to address the issue, according to the Associated Press.
The Republican lawmaker also addressed his plans while touring Eagle Pass, a community that has become a major corridor for illegal border crossings during the Biden administration.
The DeSantis campaign has also promised to reveal more details about the plan in the following weeks. However, in leading with immigration, the Florida governor is now prioritizing a divisive issue that has long been a focus of the GOP's most conservative voters.
On the other hand, the pro-immigrant group America's Voice criticized DeSantis for making "invasion" references that have long been used by white supremacists. However, many voters in the political middle have started to take more aggressive immigration policies in the last few months as illegal border crossings have surged, said Yahoo News.
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