Veteran journalist Katie Couric and Democratic Fox News co-host Jessica Tarlov recently credited Republican governors for their controversial strategy of transporting illegal immigrants to northern states, a tactic that gained national attention in 2022. The move, orchestrated by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Texas Governor Greg Abbott, and former Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, involved sending migrants to affluent liberal areas such as Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, and Washington, D.C.
During an appearance on Next Question with Katie Couric, Tarlov praised the strategy as “remarkably intelligent,” while Couric reflected on how the move served to raise awareness about the growing immigration crisis.
Jessica Tarlov, a Democratic strategist, was candid in her assessment of the Republican governors’ decision to relocate migrants. She admitted that, initially, she viewed the move as a “stunt” but ultimately came to see it as a highly effective political maneuver. Tarlov remarked, “On the immigration front, there was a tendency amongst Democrats — especially those in the media — to minimize the issue over the first two and a half years when there were a lot of people coming in here.”
She shared an anecdote from a Florida-based friend who supported the decision to send migrants to northern states. “I thought it was great because nobody really was paying attention before that,” her friend had said. Couric agreed, pointing out that the tactic helped expose an underreported aspect of the immigration debate — the strain that mass immigration places on social services and local communities, particularly in border states.
“This untold story was the strain on social services and communities, particularly along the border. This huge influx of immigrants was having a profound impact, and I think the mainstream media kind of ignored that story to its peril,” Couric said.
The relocation strategy, according to both Couric and Tarlov, effectively shifted the conversation about immigration, forcing the issue into the spotlight in places that had largely been immune to its effects. By sending migrants to blue cities and states, the governors were able to make a point about the unequal distribution of the immigration burden.
The Biden administration issued 296 executive actions during the first year of his presidency. Around 90 of these actions specifically reversed or undid the immigration policies put in place by former President Donald Trump.
By sending migrants to northern states and major cities, they forced local officials and Democratic leaders to confront the issue head-on, rather than relying on the southern border states to bear the entire burden.
Liberal areas, which have historically supported open-border policies, were suddenly confronted with the practical implications of those policies when migrants were sent to their neighborhoods. This raised questions about the fairness of expecting border states to shoulder the entire responsibility for managing the consequences of unchecked immigration.
Immigration was consistently listed as a top three issue for voters, with a majority insisting that they trusted Trump more on the issue. This could be a result of the governors’ efforts, which arguably propelled the issue to national prominence.
What took so long Dems??