Gov. Ron DeSantis on Alligator Alcatraz: Judge's ruling will not deter us

Response to Alligator Alcatraz Ruling

• ⚠️ Governor DeSantis stated a federal judge's ruling against sending more people to Alligator Alcatraz, an ICE detention facility in South Florida, was not unexpected.
• 💬 He characterized the judge as an "activist judge" attempting to make policy from the bench, but affirmed this would not deter Florida's immigration enforcement efforts.
• 🚀 DeSantis announced the opening of a new facility, the "Deportation Depot" in Baker County, designed to hold another 2,000 individuals, facilitating processing and removal.

Critique of Sanctuary Policies

• 🚨 DeSantis highlighted a case where a driver from India, who entered the U.S. illegally and did not speak English, obtained a commercial driver's license (CDL) in Washington and California.
• tragically, this driver caused a fatal accident in Florida due to an illegal U-turn, resulting in three deaths, which DeSantis attributed to lax policies.
• 🏛️ He criticized California's sanctuary policies, stating they lead to problems like homelessness and high taxes, and their negative impacts spill over to other states like Florida.

Florida's Immigration Enforcement Stance

• ✅ Florida has taken strong measures, including banning sanctuary cities and not allowing driver's licenses or local ID cards for illegal aliens.
• 📚 The state also repealed in-state tuition for illegal aliens, demonstrating a commitment to strict immigration policies.
• 🤝 Florida is the only state requiring all state and local law enforcement agencies to participate with DHS on immigration enforcement and removal operations, setting a new standard.
• 👮 The Florida Highway Patrol was the first agency to execute a 287g agreement with the Department of Homeland Security, empowering local officers in federal immigration enforcement.

Call for Federal Action

• 📣 DeSantis urged Congress to act against sanctuary states and cities by using the power of the purse to defund them.
• ⚖️ He emphasized that the fatal accident in Florida was a predictable consequence of sanctuary policies and that Congress has the ability to streamline immigration operations.
• 🎯 The Governor stressed the importance of addressing immigration issues now, especially with the support of the Trump administration, as such an opportunity may not arise again.