Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis strongly urged Republican state lawmakers to take urgent action on illegal immigration ahead of next week’s special session.
DeSantis pushed lawmakers to focus on passing legislation to crack down on illegal immigration in sync with President Donald Trump‘s administration at the federal level. However, some GOP leaders have called the session “premature” and signaled that they may gavel out without taking action on the governor’s top agenda items.
DeSantis warned that would be a costly mistake, according to Fox News.
“It would be very, very hazardous politically,” he told reporters during a roundtable discussion at the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. He also suggested that he will call for another special session of the legislature if GOP leaders delay action.
“I have my constitutional authority to wield in this process and I will continue to wield it as appropriate so that we’re able to get the job done,” he said, adding that he would fight like a “junkyard dog” to get his immigration policies enacted.
“You don’t let go.”
DeSantis rejected the concerns of the legislature, telling reporters Thursday, “we’ve been waiting years for this moment. It’s not premature.”
“We can’t drag our feet. We can’t wait for something to go into effect in July. We need something immediately and we need to get everything moving, and we need to do what we told the people that elected us that we would do.”
The Department of Homeland Security has also issued memos rescinding limits placed on ICE by the Biden administration, ordering a review of parole and expanding the use of expedited removal for recently-arrived illegal immigrants.
Trump’s administration has moved to restore border wall construction and reinstate the Remain-in-Mexico policy, which requires migrants to stay in Mexico for the duration of their asylum cases.
These combined policies have resulted in a sharp 35% drop in illegal immigrant encounters at the southern border, multiple Department of Homeland Security sources told Fox News Digital.
The Trump administration has started flying immigrants who entered the U.S. illegally out of the country using military aircraft, a White House spokesperson said Friday.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt shared photos on the social media site X of individuals in handcuffs boarding a military plane.
“Deportation flights have begun,” Leavitt said. “President Trump is sending a strong and clear message to the entire world: if you illegally enter the United States of America, you will face severe consequences.”
This week, Trump’s border czar Tom Homan announced ICE had made over 1,000 arrests while carrying out deportation orders.
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