Op-Ed by Ron DeSantis in the Des Moines Register

Immigrants are overwhelming us; I will control the border
Ron DeSantis
Des Moines Register
January 3rd, 2024

We are at war, and in crisis.

The war is being waged on us by Mexican drug cartels, who are bringing Chinese-manufactured fentanyl across our southern border, killing our citizens. And they're trafficking innocent children to be sexually abused.

The crisis is with the millions of illegal aliens pouring into our country, overwhelming local jurisdictions and escaping accountability. Without the ability to know who is coming into our country, we run the risk of terrorists entering through the southern border to perpetrate a horrific attack. And without the ability to control our border, we lose our sovereignty as a nation.

This crisis has reached unprecedented levels under President Joe Biden, who has failed to fulfill his constitutional oath to take care that the laws be faithfully executed. Biden would not have been able to get away with letting in 8 million illegal aliens if we had a border wall — something Donald Trump promised, but failed to deliver.

As president, I will end this chaos and reclaim our sovereignty.

On day one of my presidency, I will declare a national emergency and shut down all illegal entries. Phony asylum claims aimed at bypassing proper immigration processes will no longer be entertained. I will end the abuse of parole authority being used to usher in thousands of illegal immigrants monthly. And I will fully empower Border Patrol and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to deport those with no legitimate right to be here.

There will be consequences for other nations — like Mexico and those in Central America — that allow this travesty to continue. They will either stop enabling illegal immigration through their jurisdictions and into America or face diplomatic and economic retaliation.

Also under my presidency, the influence of big corporations on our immigration system will end. Big companies spend millions lobbying for open borders to get cheap labor. They will have no influence in my administration.

I will build the wall and I will make Mexico pay for it. Donald Trump promised this, and not only failed to deliver on this promise, but has now backed away from the promise altogether. Here's how I'll get this done: Charge fees on remittances that foreign nationals working in the U.S. send abroad. We will collect those fees — totaling billions of dollars a year — and use them to finance the wall.

In addition, I will ensure that states have the authority to enforce immigration laws — something that will serve as a force multiplier for our efforts. I will work with states that want to be part of the solution and enforce penalties on those that do not. In opposition to the Biden administration's willful neglect of our southern border, Florida under my leadership has been a bulwark of immigration enforcement. I sent the Florida National Guard to the border when Washington did nothing. I sent illegal aliens out of Florida's communities and to so-called "sanctuary cities," such as Martha's Vineyard. And I signed the strongest anti-illegal immigration legislation in the country.

Finally, we will deport the millions of migrants released into every corner of this nation by empowering our ICE agents, streamlining the court process, and adamantly insisting our existing immigrations laws are followed. The mistakes of the past will be rectified under the DeSantis administration.

The border has been a persistent problem my entire adult life, and that is unacceptable. I will bring this issue to a conclusion once and for all. No excuses, I will get the job done, and I will not let you down.