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Ron DeSantis on Immigration

 

 


Get tough on illegal immigration

GOP Congressional candidate Ron DeSantis Thursday announced another in a line of national endorsements.

He is being supported by Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who calls himself "America's toughest sheriff."

"I'm proud to endorse Ron DeSantis for Congress because I know he will stand up for the rule of law and get tough on illegal immigration," said Arpaio, who is the sheriff of Maricopa County.

He has become well known for an outspoken stance against illegal immigration, and for making prisoners wear pink underware.

DeSantis, an attorney, is running for the 6th Congressional District, which includes St. Johns, Flagler, Volusia and Putnam Counties. He already has national endorsements from Club for Growth and former U.N. ambassador John Bolton

Source: Press release on 2012 House campaign website voteRon2012.com , Aug 2, 2012

Supports E-Verify; opposes sanctuary cities

DeSantis fully backs President Donald Trump's moves to enforce border security and deport illegal immigrants. As governor, DeSantis has promised to ban "sanctuary cities" even though virtually no city in Florida has such policies. West Palm Beach was on a list of cities identified by the Trump administration as possibly having policies of non-cooperation with federal immigration officials, but elected officials there dispute that, saying they cooperate with federal authorities when asked.

Alachua and Clay counties have been accused of being sanctuary areas for not complying with detention requests in some instances, but those claims are disputed as well.

DeSantis also wants to enact an E-Verify law requiring employers to check the immigration status of their workers. It's an idea Gov. Rick Scott pushed in his first year in office but quickly dropped when it failed to get through the Legislature.

Source: Orlando Sentinel on 2018 Florida gubernatorial race , Aug 31, 2018

DACA is unconstitutional; opposes any path to citizenship

Q: Support path to citizenship for America's 11 million illegal immigrants, including "DACA" recipients or "Dreamers," who grew up in the US after being brought here as children?

Ron DeSantis (R): No. Considers DACA unconstitutional. Opposes any path to citizenship. DACA "amnesty" would further incentivize illegal immigration & chain migration. Fire officials who abet sanctuary cities.

Andrew Gillum (D): Yes. Can protect national security "without criminalizing" undocumented people.

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Florida Governor race , Oct 9, 2018

No sanctuary cities in Florida

Florida will not be a sanctuary state - we won't allow someone here illegally to commit criminal misconduct and simply be returned to our communities. And we won't tolerate sanctuary cities that actively frustrate law enforcement by shielding criminal aliens from accountability at the expense of public safety. Let's prohibit sanctuary cities in Florida.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to the Florida legislature , Mar 5, 2019

Against open borders, amnesty, cheap foreign labor

We reject open borders and instead support American sovereignty and the American worker. Building a movement on the foundation of amnesty and cheap foreign labor is like building a house on a field of quicksand.
Source: Remarks by Senator DeSantis at the 2021 CPAC Conference , Feb 26, 2021

End catch and release, finish the border wall

Our idea is very simple. Our lawsuit says end catch and release. If they end catch and release and they reinstitute remain in Mexico and finish construction of the border wall, guess what? Crisis will be ended. People will stop even coming because they know they're not going to be able to.
Source: FOX News on 2022 Florida Gubernatorial race , Sep 29, 2021

Pull over drivers suspected of transporting immigrants

During the Donald Trump years, DeSantis targeted the influx of Central Americans, and he's now doing likewise to Haitians under Joe Biden. He thinks he's punishing this other "foreign" Florida, but he's bad-mouthing and hurting all of us immigrants. His newly issued mandate to law enforcement that they pull over drivers they suspect are transporting immigrants into the state is going to be tricky to carry out without violating Americans' constitutional rights.
Source: Miami Herald on 2022 Florida Gubernatorial race , Jul 6, 2021

Re-route illegal aliens in Florida to sanctuary states

As a state, we cannot be a party to what is effectively a massive human smuggling operation run by the federal government. Companies who are facilitating the movement of illegal aliens from the southern border to Florida should be held accountable, including by paying restitution to the state for all the costs they are imposing on our communities. I am also requesting funds so that when the feds dump illegal aliens in Florida, the state can re-route them to states that have sanctuary policies.
Source: 2022 State of the State Address to the Idaho legislature , Jan 11, 2022

Supports exiting US to apply for citizenship.

DeSantis supports the PVS survey question on amnesty

Project Vote Smart infers candidate issue stances on key topics by summarizing public speeches and public statements. Congressional candidates are given the opportunity to respond in detail; about 11% did so in the 2012 races.

Project Vote Smart summarizes candidate stances on the following topic: 'Immigration: Do you support requiring illegal immigrants to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?'

Source: Project Vote Smart 12-PVS-q12 on Aug 30, 2012

Voted YES to ban DREAMer immigrants from military service.

DeSantis voted YEA Gosar Anti-DACA Amendment to H.R. 5293

Congressional Summary: The House voted on an amendment by Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) to H.R. 5293, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2017. The amendment would prohibit funds from being used to extend the expiration of, or reissue a new expiration date to, the Military Accessions Vital to National Interest (MAVNI) program.

Recommendation by Heritage Foundation to vote YES:(6/16/2016): The MAVNI program is a pilot program authorizing `military services to recruit certain legal immigrants whose skills are considered to be vital to the national interest.` However, a DoD memo has made it clear that DACA/DAPA recipients are eligible under this program, essentially opening up a pathway to amnesty for illegal aliens who enlist. By ensuring that this guidance ends, DOD will no longer be able to enlist illegal immigrants through MAVNI.

Recommendation by the ACLU to vote NO: (6/28/2011): The DREAM Act promotes fundamental fairness for young people by allowing access to affordable post-secondary education and military service opportunities, regardless of immigration status, and would provide a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children, have lived here for at least five years and have graduated from high school. The DREAM Act could result in billions of dollars in additional tax revenue from tapping the potential of DREAM-eligible students and future service personnel. Since September 11, 2001, more than 69,000 immigrants have earned citizenship while serving, and more than 125 who entered military service after that date have made the ultimate sacrifice in war by giving their lives for this nation.

Legislative outcome: Failed House 210 to 211 (no Senate vote)

Source: Congressional vote 16-H5293 on Jun 16, 2016

Other governors on Immigration: Ron DeSantis on other issues:
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