DeSantis calls for policy reversal at southern border — says system 'spits in the faces of those who respect our laws'



Florida Governor and Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis called for a reversal of policies at the southwest land border that has seen record surges of illegal immigrants, while recent reports showed thousands of migrants had been apprehended from the middle east.

In the wake of Palestinian attacks on Israel, DeSantis warned that America's enemies may be looking to target weaknesses at the United States' borders:

“I would also ask the president to consider reversing his policies on the southern border. We are vulnerable when you have all these military-age men coming in. Do you think that our enemies have not been looking at that weakness?" DeSantis told CNN.

"We know people from Iran have come, we know people from Russia have come, and we know China and other parts of the Middle East. That is not good for the security of this country. Israel probably has the strongest border security in the world, and yet, this happened to them," the governor added.

Joe Biden needs to reverse his policies on the southern border.\n\nWe are vulnerable with so many military-age men coming into our country. Do you think that our enemies have not been looking at that weakness?
— Ron DeSantis (@Ron DeSantis) 1697033812

DeSantis' team pointed to internal U.S. Customs and Border Protection data reported by Fox News' Bill Melugin. Melugin stated that thousands of “special interest aliens” from mostly Middle Eastern countries had been stopped at the U.S.-Mexico border. Melugin's data was reportedly confirmed by CBP officials.

From October 1, 2021-October 4, 2023, nearly 75,000 illegals from the Middle East have been apprehended. This included over 6,000 from Afghanistan, more than 1,600 from Pakistan, nearly 16,000 from Mauritania, over 13,000 Uzbekistan nationals, and a whopping 30,000 Turks.

NEW: Internal CBP data provided & confirmed by CBP sources reveals thousands of \u201cspecial interest aliens\u201d from mostly Middle Eastern countries have been apprehended by Border Patrol while crossing into U.S. illegally over last 2 years. \n\nSyria: 538\nYemen: 139\nIran: 659\nIraq: 123\u2026
— Bill Melugin (@Bill Melugin) 1696943369

On his official platform, DeSantis has called President Biden's administration the "critical link" in allowing human smuggling across the border.

"Our system spits in the faces of those who respect our laws by allowing illegal aliens to break those laws with functional impunity," DeSantis wrote.

"The Biden Administration is the critical link in an illegal transnational human smuggling syndicate. Through their soft policies and softer public statements, they have made clear to potential migrants that the door to the United States is open, so long as you are willing to make a harrowing and dangerous journey in the hands of Mexican drug cartels," the Republican added.

DeSantis also vowed to shut down "illegal entries" and build the border wall "once and for all."

"There are more than 600 miles of the US-Mexico border without an effective barrier to illegal crossings: I will use every ounce of my executive power and political capital to get the wall built," he added.

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Hotels cancel veterans' reservations for Army-Navy game as illegal immigrants are given priority: 'We consider it a privilege'



Dozens of hotel bookings have been canceled, mostly for United States veterans, in favor of illegal migrants who are now taking up rooms at Massachusetts hotels.

Hotel rooms for the traditional Army-Navy football gaming taking place at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, have been canceled in droves according to a travel agency, which said 70 reservations were rescinded to make room for illegal immigrants.

Mark Mansbach, owner of the Hillsdale Travel Agency, said he booked over 400 Foxborough-area hotel rooms, most of which are for veterans.

"They pretty much said: 'Listen, we can't help you with rooms for your clients. We're just going to cancel the rooms.' And that was it," Mansbach said, according to WCVB. "It was a done deal. I mean, they'd already started taking in migrants."

Multiple governors spoke out on the issue, including Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey.

"I was very concerned and troubled to hear that any veteran may have had their rooms canceled," she said. "As I understand it, those were decisions made by area hotels," she added.

The governor stated that she directed her secretary of veterans' services to help those who had their reservations canceled, but it was too late for many of them.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis spoke on the issue on his X account.

"Our veterans and service academy graduates cannot find anywhere to stay for the Army-Navy Game because hotels are housing illegal aliens on the taxpayers’ dime. What a farce. When I am president, the days of putting illegals [sic] aliens over Americans will be over," he wrote.

Our veterans and service academy graduates cannot find anywhere to stay for the Army-Navy Game because hotels are housing illegal aliens on the taxpayers\u2019 dime. \n\nWhat a farce.\n\nWhen I am president, the days of putting illegals aliens over Americans will be over.
— Ron DeSantis (@Ron DeSantis) 1696429328

Giri Hotel Management, which operates the Foxborough Comfort Inn along with Best Western hotels in Massachusetts, confirmed to WCVB that the company is providing rooms for what were described as "refugees."

"We consider it a privilege to offer a safe haven to those who have been forced to flee their homes due to challenging circumstances, and our enthusiasm stems from our belief in the fundamental values of compassion and unity," they said in a statement.

“We are delighted to confirm that we are indeed taking refugees at our hotels,” added Claire Mulholland, the company's vice president. “By providing shelter to refugees, we aim to be part of a global community that stands together in support of those in need."

“We look forward to working with local authorities and organizations to ensure a smooth transition for all those who will call our hotels home during their time with us," she continued.

State Rep. Steven Xiarhos mocked the choice by the hotel chains, calling it "ironic."

"We can't find rooms for people that have fought for and sacrificed for our country because we have people living in rooms that are not from this country," the Republican stated.

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Who won the 2nd GOP debate — DeSantis or Ramaswamy? Blaze host weighs in



Former President Donald Trump was again a no-show at the second GOP debate, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t full of good, old-fashioned RINO warmongering and barely intelligible yelling.

However, there were a couple of moments that might have appealed to voters, specifically concerning Ron DeSantis and Vivek Ramaswamy.

When DeSantis was asked how he planned to win over independent pro-choice voters in Arizona, he responded, “The same way we did in Florida.

“We won the greatest Republican victory in a governor’s race in the history of the state — over 1.5 million votes. We were winning places like Miami-Dade County [and] Palm Beach — that nobody thought was possible — because we were leading with purpose and conviction,” DeSantis continued.

But he wasn’t done.

“I reject this idea that pro-lifers are to blame for midterm defeats. I think there’s other reasons for that. The former president — you know, he’s missing in action tonight — he’s had a lot to say about that. He should be here explaining his comments to try to say that pro-life protections are somehow a terrible thing.”

“That’s exactly what I was thinking,” Keith Malinak tells Pat Gray, who also is enthused by DeSantis’ response.

DeSantis wasn’t the only one with a good answer. Ramaswamy might have stolen the show when he was asked about birthright citizenship.

“I favor ending birthright citizenship for the kids of illegal immigrants in this country,” Vivek told the crowd. “Now, the Left will howl about the Constitution and the 14th Amendment. The difference between me and them is I’ve actually read the 14th Amendment.”

“He’s the only candidate I’ve heard that has brought up this issue,” Pat Gray says. “And I’ve been saying this for decades: stop birthright citizenship.”

“If the kid of a Mexican diplomat doesn’t enjoy birthright citizenship, then neither does the kid of an illegal migrant who broke the law to come here,” Vivek continued. “As the father of two sons, it is hard for me to look them in the eye and say, 'You have to follow the law,' when our own government fails to follow its own laws.”


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DeSantis is officially running for president, becoming Trump's top GOP primary rival



Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced on Wednesday that he is making a bid for the White House, a move that sets up a GOP primary showdown between the Sunshine State governor and former President Donald Trump.

DeSantis released an announcment video just ahead of a Twitter Spaces with billionaire business magnate Elon Musk where he was expected to announce his presidential run. "I'm Ron DeSantis, and I'm running for president to lead our great American comeback," he declared in the announcement video.

\u201cI\u2019m running for president to lead our Great American Comeback.\u201d
— Ron DeSantis (@Ron DeSantis) 1684965488

Last year, DeSantis, who has served as Florida's governor since early 2019, secured reelection by decisively defeating Democratic opponent Charlie Crist during the state's gubernatorial contest. Prior to serving as governor, DeSantis served as a congressman in the U.S. House of Representatives.

While many lawmakers have already thrown their support behind Trump, some, including GOP Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Chip Roy of Texas, endorsed DeSantis for president earlier this year before the governor announced his presidential bid.

DeSantis' announcement on Wednesday came as polls indicated that Trump has a large lead over Republican primary opponents and potential opponents — DeSantis has been polling in a distant second place, but far higher than other figures.

Trump, who has been targeting DeSantis for months, has referred to DeSantis as "DeSanctimonious" and "DeSanctus." The former president has declared that the Florida goverrnor is in need of a "personality transplant" and claimed that DeSantis is a "RINO GLOBALIST," a term which uses an acronym that stands for "Republican in name only."

In addition to Trump and DeSantis, other GOP primary candidates include former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, Larry Elder, U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, and entrepreneur and author Vivek Ramaswamy.

Musk has indicated that he would be open to hosting other presidential candidates on Twitter Spaces. When someone raised the prospect of Musk hosting Trump, President Joe Biden, and Democratic primary challenger Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Twitter Spaces, Musk replied, "Ok."

\u201c@WallStreetSilv @RobertKennedyJr Ok\u201d
— Wall Street Silver (@Wall Street Silver) 1684878353

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Ron DeSantis issues fiery response to Trump indictment, says Florida will not assist in extradition request: 'It is un-American'



Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis responded with an acerbic statement to the indictment of former President Donald Trump on Thursday evening.

"The weaponization of the legal system to advance a political agenda turns the rule of law on its head. It is un-American," said DeSantis.

"The Soros-backed Manhattan District Attorney has consistently bent the law to downgrade felonies and to excuse criminal misconduct. Yet, now he is stretching the law to target a political opponent," he continued.

\u201cThe weaponization of the legal system to advance a political agenda turns the rule of law on its head. \n\nIt is un-American. \n\nThe Soros-backed Manhattan District Attorney has consistently bent the law to downgrade felonies and to excuse criminal misconduct. Yet, now he is\u2026\u201d
— Ron DeSantis (@Ron DeSantis) 1680216955

"Florida will not assist in an extradition request given the questionable circumstances at issue with this Soros-backed Manhattan prosecutor and his political agenda," DeSantis concluded.

The indictment of Trump is the first in U.S. history against a former president. It comes as result of an investigation by Manhattan Attorney General Alvin Bragg into the hush money paid to adult film actress Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election.

Trump responded with his own statement attacking Bragg's prosecution as politically motivated.

"Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, who was hand-picked and funded by George Soros, is a disgrace. Rather than stopping the unprecedented crime wave taking over New York City, he's doing Joe Biden's dirty work, ignoring the murders and burglaries and assaults he should be focused on. This is how Bragg spends his time!" wrote the former president.

He went on to say that the indictment would backfire against the Democrats and promised to win the presidency and throw out every single "crooked" Democrat from office.

Other Republicans and supporters of the former president joined in the chorus criticizing Bragg and the indictment.

Trump is also under investigation in Georgia for allegedly interfering in the 2020 election and under investigation by a special counsel looking into the classified documents seized at his residence at the Mar-a-Lago by the FBI in August 2022.

The exact charges against Trump are unclear, since the indictment is sealed, but experts believe that he could face a maximum sentence of four years in prison if convicted of the expected charges.

DeSantis is considered to be the most likely competitor to Trump in the Republican presidential primary, despite not having announced a campaign yet.

Here's more about the indictment against Trump:

Grand jury votes to indict Trump www.youtube.com

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DeSantis presses Biden to waive COVID-19 vaccination requirement and admit foreign tennis player to compete in the US



Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — a Republican who is widely viewed as someone who could potentially mount a presidential bid in the coming months — has issued a letter urging President Joe Biden to grant tennis player Novak Djokovic an exemption from U.S. COVID-19 vaccination requirements for foreign travelers who wish to enter the country.

Djokovic's request for a waiver has been denied, according to GOP Sen. Rick Scott of Florida. Without gaining entry to the U.S., the athlete won't be able to compete in the Miami Open, and he has already withdrawn from the BNP Paribas Open.

"The time has come to give up the fiction that COVID vaccines remain a necessary tool to promote public health," DeSantis wrote. "Florida's Surgeon General has issued guidance recommending against the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines for males ages 18-39 years old — precisely the cohort of Mr. Djokovic," he noted. "I respectfully ask you to grant his requested exemption so that he may delight and inspire tennis fans in Florida and around the Nation."

\u201cThe only thing keeping Novak Djokovic from participating in the Miami Open tennis tournament is President Biden\u2019s misguided and unscientific COVID-19 vaccination requirement for foreigner travelers.\n\u00a0\nMr. President \u2013 lift your restrictions and let him compete.\u201d
— Ron DeSantis (@Ron DeSantis) 1678228240

Certain noncitizens must furnish proof of vaccination to travel into the U.S. by air, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Similarly, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security indicates that certain non-Americans who wish to enter the country "via land ports of entry and ferry terminals at the U.S.-Mexico and U.S.-Canada borders are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and provide proof of vaccination upon request."

DeSantis suggested that under the current rules, Djokovic may be able to enter the country via boat. The governor raised the prospect and asked the administration to confirm that this is the case.

"It is also not clear to me why, even by the terms of your own proclamation, Mr. Djokovic could not legally enter this country via boat. Please confirm no later than Friday, March 10, 2023, that this method of travel into Florida would be permissible," DeSantis said in the letter.

"Furthermore, even as you enacted the Proclamation on air travel that remains in force to this day, your administration pointedly allowed thousands of unvaccinated migrants to enter our country through the southern border," DeSantis wrote. "In sum, the current 'travel ban' as applied to Mr. Djokovic — and presumably millions of other potential unvaccinated foreign visitors — seems completely ungrounded in logic, common sense, or any genuine concern for the health and welfare of the American people."

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6-week abortion ban proposed in Florida



A proposal put forward in Florida would prohibit most abortions after the gestational age of the unborn child is more than six weeks — but the measure includes several exceptions to the 6-week ban.

An exception would be allowed if two doctors determine that the pregnancy must be terminated to save the mother's life or to avoid significant risk of "substantial and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function" to the woman. An exception would also be allowed if there is no second physician available and a single doctor determines there is a need for emergency termination of the pregnancy to protect the mother's life or to avoid serious injury.

An exception would also be permitted if the pregnancy has not reached the third trimester and two doctors determine that the unborn child suffers from a "fatal fetal abnormality." A woman would also be able to obtain an abortion if the pregnancy is due to rape or incest and the gestational age of the child is not over 15 weeks.

Florida state law currently bans most abortions if the gestational age is more than 15 weeks.

Asked earlier this year whether he would sign a "6-week heartbeat bill," Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) indicated that he is pro-life and that he will sign "good stuff" from the state legislature.

\u201cGovernor DeSantis said if the heartbeat bill hits his desk, he will sign it. https://t.co/1dE3GTxWmx\u201d
— WPEC CBS12 News (@WPEC CBS12 News) 1675268615

DeSantis is widely viewed as someone who could potentially mount a presidential election bid and challenge former President Donald Trump for the GOP presidential nomination.

Last year in a statement about the U.S. Supreme Court's move to overturn Roe v. Wade, DeSantis said that the majority had properly interpreted the Constitution. The governor vowed that Florida "will work to expand pro-life protections, and will stand for life by promoting adoption, foster care and child welfare."

\u201cBy properly interpreting the Constitution, the Supreme Court has answered the prayers of millions upon millions of Americans.\u201d
— Ron DeSantis (@Ron DeSantis) 1656089941

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No more sales tax on baby necessities, pet meds, gas stoves in Florida under new DeSantis proposal



Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) announced on Wednesday a new $114.8 billion budget proposal that would place a permanent sales tax exemption on baby necessities, pet medications, and gas stoves, Fox News Digital reported.

DeSantis introduced the "Framework for Freedom Budget" for the 2023-2024 fiscal year, which proposed $1.5 billion in tax cuts, including four permanent and several temporary tax cuts.

The governor's plan aims to cut costs and put money back in the pockets of Floridians.

A permanent sales tax exemption would apply to baby and toddler necessities, including cribs and strollers, over-the-counter pet medications, and gas stoves.

During a Wednesday press conference, DeSantis stated, "It's hard enough raising kids as it is. Now, you get baby food, diapers, wipes, baby clothes, the whole shebang, including things like cribs and strollers, which are very, very expensive. So that is going to be permanently tax-free in the state of Florida. We're also doing a permanent exclusion on all over-the-counter pet medications, because they're parts of our families too."

"And then we just added – because I think it needs to be done – no tax permanently on gas stoves. They want your gas stove, and we're not going to let that happen," DeSantis continued, referring to a proposed ban on gas stoves. "It's just the principle of, you know, this is ridiculous. And they do want to go after it. They got blowback, so they kind of had to back off."

The budget also proposes a temporary tax holiday on "children's books, children's toys, children's athletic equipment, certain household items and clothing, disaster preparedness items, outdoor recreation items, dental and oral hygiene products, pet food, hand and power tools, energy star appliances, and natural gas."

A one-year sales tax exception applies to household items under $25, such as toothpaste, dental floss, soap, shampoo, laundry detergent, and toilet paper.

"We're also doing one-year sales tax holidays for household items under $25," DeSantis stated. "And so that'll be everything from detergent to trash bags. These are necessities, and people are going to be able to get those tax-free."

The framework budget also proposes pay raises to state employees, including "an across-the-board 5 percent pay increase for all state employees," an additional 10% raise for certain "hard-to-hire" positions, and $23 per hour for correctional officers.

\u201cThe Framework for Freedom budget abolishes sales tax for: \n- Baby necessities including diapers, wipes, clothes, strollers and cribs \n- Over-the-counter pet medications \n- Gas stoves\u201d
— Ron DeSantis (@Ron DeSantis) 1675280076

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DeSantis proposes execution eligibility for child rapists, stiffer drug crime penalties, more



Florida's Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) proposed a slate of criminal justice reforms on Thursday, including making convicted child rapists eligible for execution and reducing the number of jurors required to recommend the death penalty.

"We want to make sure that we cement our reputation as being a law-and-order state and take actions as necessary to help further protect the people of the state of Florida," DeSantis said Thursday at a Miami Police Benevolent Association event.

"Right now in Florida, our crime rate is at a 50-year low. Overall crime down nearly 10% year-over-year, murder down 14%, burglary down 15[%], and robbery down 7%," he added.

DeSantis summarized the proposals in a tweet on Thursday afternoon.

\u201cIn Florida, we are taking steps to preserve law & order by enhancing accountability for criminals, combatting human smuggling and protecting Floridians from fentanyl.\u201d
— Ron DeSantis (@Ron DeSantis) 1674765135

Part of the proposed anti-crime legislation "ensures the minimum sentence for all child rapists is life in prison without the possibility of parole and advances reforms to reinstate capital punishment for these crimes."

Drug-related proposals include imposing additional penalties when the drug resembles candy and dedicating $20 million to support local law enforcement efforts, like fentanyl-specific strike teams.

DeSantis also proposed reducing the number of jurors required to recommend the death penalty. Rather than requiring unanimity, a jury could recommend the death penalty with a supermajority of its members.

In the case of the Parkland, Florida, school shooter, Nikolas Cruz, the jury did not reach a unanimous decision, so Cruz did not receive a death sentence. DeSantis said he believes justice was not served in that case, and that a single juror should not have the power to veto a recommendation for capital punishment.

DeSantis' proposal also includes a number of measures designed to keep dangerous criminals out of communities. One proposal would limit who is eligible for release before the individual appears before a judge. Another would require a detention hearing prior to trial for dangerous crimes.

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody also spoke at the event, as did several law enforcement officials.

"Safe communities don't happen by accident," Moody said. She added that "drastic action" was necessary, given "the lethal potency [of fentanyl] coupled with the sheer volume that is in our country and in this state."

"Common sense does not seem to be very common anymore in many parts of this nation, but it will reign supreme here in Florida," Moody said, referencing soft-on-crime policies in municipalities like Los Angeles, Portland, New York City, and Chicago. Moody contends those policies can seriously endanger law-abiding citizens.

\u201cPreserving Law & Order in Florida https://t.co/kT4rbl3NL5\u201d
— Ron DeSantis (@Ron DeSantis) 1674758773

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