advertisement

SSN on Facebook SSN on Twitter SSN on YouTube RSS Feed

7 Comments
Politics

Surprise 'Distribution' of Migrants First Step in President's Border Security and Immigration Plan

May 17, 2019 - 7:30am
Army of Central Americans, mostly Hondurans, march through Mexico towards the U.S. border
Army of Central Americans, mostly Hondurans, march through Mexico towards the U.S. border

The Department of Homeland Security  confirmed Thursday it will transport approximately 500 migrants per month from a Mexican border camp in El Paso to both Broward and Palm Beach Counties, blindsiding Tallahassee and sending unprepared South Florida authorities into a blind panic.

According to Reuters, senior government officials said moving migrants out of camps is the first step in a plan to harden border security and overhaul the legal immigration system to favor applicants who speak English, are well-educated and have job offers. 

Nevertheless, even loyalists to President Trump were scrambling for information on this 'distribution' plan. Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has the president's ear on many high-level matters, admitted Thursday he was in the dark about the coming influx of immigrants to Florida and wasn't pleased.

Donald Trump
Donald Trump
“The governor’s office was not informed of this decision,” DeSantis tweeted. “Florida counties do not have the resources to accommodate an influx of illegal immigrants.”

U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, another of Trump's staunchest allies, weighed in, telling the News Service of Florida he doesn't want a “horde of illegal immigrants dumped” in the state. “I’m sure Texas, Arizona and New Mexico feel the same way,” added the congressman from the Panhandle.

On Thursday Sen. Marco Rubio, who has been among the closest to the president on matters involving Central American policy, sent a letter  to Kevin McAleenan, the acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, requesting details of any plan to transport 500 migrants a month from El Paso to Florida.

“Does the Department intend to transport migrants currently in custody at the southern border to states that do not share a land border with Mexico,” Rubio asked. “If so, why?”

He also asked whether the department had engaged with state and local government organizations to plan for the migrants’ arrival and if those entities had asked for additional resources.

Broward County Mayor Mark Bogen told Sunshine State News that the first the two most affected counties weren't told until Wednesday. “They’re just sending them in with no shelter, no food, no plan and we've got zero information and zero help. ... Who are these people? Children? Senior citizens?"  He called it "horrible, deplorable for these poor people" and an attempt to treat South Florida counties like sanctuary cities -- "which we're not." 

The two counties told they're about to receive immigrants are overwhelmingly Democratic. Some 66 percent of Broward County voters and 56 percent of voters in Palm Beach supported Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election.

Broward County is not a sanctuary county --  and neither is Palm Beach, for that matter. But in early 2017, the County Commission approved a resolution  declaring itself an “inclusive county” that “welcomes, celebrates, and offers refuge to all residents and visitors irrespective of race, religion, ethnicity, or national origin.” Some close to the White House considered that statement a tantamount to a slap on the president's face.

Bogen said officials in Broward and Palm Beach are "fppying blind" but hit the ground running, working to muster local charities, nonprofits and businesses to coordinate a plan to deal with whoever arrives.

Speaking at a news conference, Palm Beach County Mayor Mack Bernard said he wants to talk to the governor, perhaps even suggesting that with so many people coming into the county, a national emergency be declared. 

The migrants won't necessarily, nor will they be required to, stay where they are delivered in Florida. 

Treasure Coast Newspapers reported Martin County Sheriff William Snyder was contacted by a U.S. border patrol agent who told him Thursday afternoon an unknown number of migrants from the southern border are expected at Palm Beach International Airport sooner rather than later and they could go to rural Indiantown "because they have family in the area."

Snyder, a former state representative, said the only specific area in Martin County the border patrol agent mentioned was Indiantown, "but there could be other areas the agent didn't mention."

Snyder told TCN he feels the situation is a result of "Congress letting America down."

"I think if we get hundreds of undocumented aliens, our calls for service are going to go up," he said. "I mean, that's just the way life is, but we will rise to the occasion. I'm not intimidated."

Trump's immigration proposal, the product largely of senior advisers Jared Kushner and Stephen Miller and economic aide Kevin Hassett, is an effort to rally Republicans on an issue that has often divided them.

Wednesday was the first time it came to light.

Reuters claims approval by Congress is a longshot. Nevertheless, says the news service, "the plan will give Republicans an outline they can say they favor as Trump and lawmakers look toward the November 2020 presidential and congressional elections, where immigration will likely be a key issue."

For decades, U.S. immigration laws have given priority to family-based immigration, and about two-thirds of all people granted green cards each year have family ties to people in the United States.

Trump's plan would keep legal immigration steady at 1.1 million people a year, but family-based immigration would account for only a third of that. Instead, high-skilled people with jobs would be given priority, and could bring with them their spouses and children, the officials told reporters at a White House briefing on Wednesday.

Reach Nancy Smith at nsmith@sunshinestatenews.com or at 228-282-2423. Twitter: @NancyLBSmith

Comments

As big disaster as this idiot is...

NEVER HAPPEN! Both suggested counties are already vastly overloaded. Florida is already a "MOVE TO" state and has a natural flow of retirees, Cuban refugees and already=American Puerto Ricans (due to their devastating hurricane). Yes, many will return to Puerto Rico, but many will stay in Florida --- now the FOURTH MOST POPULOUS STATE in America (We call it 'escape from New York!). They are pretty much all great folks and true Americans, but it will greatly affect the "LANGUAGE" as they filter to other places in Florida. No, English is not our 'Official Language" --- but (like other places) Hispanic languages are creating a noticeable difference in the ability for many Floridians to be able to communicate. It would seem that ALL of Florida is becoming bi-lingual! Our Governor was not consulted about this and has already worked with President Trump to modify this approach.

They should all be sent to blue states, after all they don't think it's a crisis.

Send the ones you MUST to the snow/ice/blizzard States, so they experience what we went through, for many decades, to get here and learning to truly appreciate Florida... Will THEY contribute to Florida's education, healthcare, and economic systems,...OR JUST DRAIN THEM??? (as has been shown to be the case thus far, with NO "turn-around" in sight...)

Nothing like a reality check for those who continue to insist that there is no border crisis... and just like that those preaching for sanctuary policies are now screaming about public safety and non-vetting of the same people they were willing to turn loose into the border states... NIMBY at work...

Sniff sniff...this smells like an unverified article lifted out of some Fake News Media story. Quite likely if this is even true the Department of Homeland Security has a viable plan for housing training and control of these illegal immigration lawbreakers which will not be a burden to the State or Counties in Florida. So every one just calm down take a breath...exhale. I really do not feel 500 folks per month will just be released to poop in the streets like in Los Angeles. In closing this smells a lot like unverified fake news.

So, in spite of TrumpNut Gruters sanctuary city ban and DeSantis ***-kissing of Trump - - - Dumpty Trumpty dumps 500 illegal immigrants per month on Broward and Palm Beach counties? Why not Dade ... which is already close to becoming it's own little foreign country anyway? It's amazing to see how the TrumpNuts suck up to Trump ... then he shoves their best interests right up their butts! Republicans were apparently at the end of the line when God was passing out brains!

Comments are now closed.

politics
advertisement
advertisement
Live streaming of WBOB Talk Radio, a Sunshine State News Radio Partner.

advertisement