'Basically legalizing illegal immigration': DeSantis hammers border bill as 'farce' written by people with 'contempt'

AP Photo/Marta Lavandier

During a press conference on Monday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis vehemently criticized the newly proposed border legislation in the U.S. Senate, labeling it a "farce" and indicative of Washington's disregard for American taxpayers.

The governor expressed his concerns over the bill's provisions, which he believes will further entrench the problems at the southern border rather than resolve them.

DeSantis highlighted the severity of the current border situation, stating, "You can't be a country if you don't maintain control of your own territory."

He pointed out that the crisis at the border has been escalating for years, reaching unprecedented levels recently. The governor took issue with the bill's threshold for taking action, which would only come into play after daily illegal crossings exceed 5,000 individuals—effectively sanctioning a significant amount of illegal immigration.

“And yet, this has been going on really for many, many years, decades, perhaps, but it’s never been this bad," said DeSantis. “And they have now unveiled a piece of legislation in Washington and I think people are starting to point out what a farce it is, to basically say that you only shut the border down once 5,000 people a day come illegally, which is about 2 million a year. So that’s basically legalizing illegal immigration. And there’s so many other things that are wrong with it. But I just think, taking a step back, what it shows me is it just shows me the contempt that these people in D.C. have for American taxpayers.”

BREAKING: Ron DeSantis reacts to Senate border deal

"You only shut the border down once 5,000 people a day come in illegally? [...] That's basically legalizing illegal immigration."

"[This] shows me the contempt these people in D.C. have for American taxpayers." pic.twitter.com/uwluBjXsCU

— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) February 5, 2024

The governor also criticized the financial implications of the bill, particularly its allocation of funds internationally and domestically, which he believes would not contribute to securing the border but rather exacerbate the issue. DeSantis emphasized that the authority and responsibility to secure the border already lie with the president, arguing that new legislation is unnecessary for fulfilling this fundamental duty.

“I mean, the amount of money they want to send all around the world, the amount of money that they’re saying that they’re going to use for border, but it’s really going to go to facilitate more of the problem,” said the governor. “I just think the whole thing is a farce. The fact of the matter is the president has the authority to secure the country’s border.”

DeSantis's remarks reflect a deep skepticism of Washington's current approach to border security and immigration policy. He expressed doubt about the bill's potential to bring about meaningful change, dismissing it as another "dog and pony show" from the nation's capital that fails to respect the interests and well-being of American citizens.

“You don’t need a new piece of legislation to do that. Just do it, and if you did it, I think a lot of people would be pleasantly surprised that you did it,” he added. “But what this is, this is just another dog and pony show out of Washington. It will not solve a problem. It will just exacerbate the problem even further. And so I don’t think it likely has much of a chance. But you never know with the folks that we’ve got in Washington, D.C., nowadays.”