DeSantis unveils sweeping immigration agenda and border security policy

Presidential candidate and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis unveiled his sweeping immigration and border security policy proposal on Monday while touring the border city of Eagle Pass, Texas. 

In his first detailed policy release as a presidential candidate, the Florida governor proposed ending birthright citizenship, finishing building the southern border wall, and sending U.S. troops to Mexico to fight against the drug cartels, among other measures.

“I have listened to people in D.C. for years and years and years, going back decades — Republicans and Democrats — always chirping about this yet never actually bringing the issue to a conclusion," DeSantis said on Monday. “What we’re saying is no excuses on this.”

The DeSantis campaign has promised to release more details about the immigration policies, which he has made the centerpiece of his campaign, in the upcoming weeks. However, his proposed measures so far largely mirror the hard stance that former President Donald Trump had taken on immigration.

If elected, DeSantis promised to end the birthright citizenship of children of undocumented immigrants who are born in the country.

Despite also being suggested by Trump, birthright citizenship is part of the Constitution’s 14th Amendment, and would ostensibly require amending the constitution, which requires a 3/4 congressional approval vote in both chambers.

"Dangling the prize of citizenship to the future offspring of illegal immigrants is a major driver of illegal migration. It is also inconsistent with the original understanding of the 14th Amendment, and we will force the courts and Congress to finally address this failed policy," he said.

He also said he would end the “catch and release” practice at the border, in which undocumented migrants are released into the country while they wait for their court hearings to take place. Instead, he insisted that migrants should be blocked from entering the country and wait in Mexico while their claims are being processed. Such a plan would need Mexico’s approval.

DeSantis also promised to finish building the border wall. “Build The Wall. No Excuses,” DeSantis’ new campaign merchandise promises. 

“I was in Arizona the other day. You have like — wall, then it just kind of stops,” he said, adding that the structure can be used by members of Mexican drug cartels, who can “cut through the really fortified steel beams.”

DeSantis suggested using deadly military force against suspected drug traffickers and cartels smuggling narcotics across the U.S.-Mexico border. He claims that the U.S. has “the right to operate across the border to secure our territory from Mexican cartel activities.” 

“Of course, you use deadly force,” DeSantis said. “If you drop a couple of these cartel operatives trying to do that, you’re not going to have to worry about that anymore.”