Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis blasted President Joe Biden over his open border policies during a speech on Wednesday.
DeSantis shared the comment during an announcement regarding the state’s latest manufacturing investments in Okaloosa County.
“Biden should be given an honorary membership in the Mexican drug cartels because nobody has done more to help the cartels than Biden with his open border policies,” DeSantis said.
“It’s a total disaster. It’s been a disaster. I fear with Title 42, if they do repeal it, I think things are fixing to get even worse,” he added.
Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL): “Biden should be given an honorary membership in the Mexican drug cartels.” pic.twitter.com/Raqn3sLC0Q
— The Recount (@therecount) May 18, 2022
In addition to speaking out against Biden’s policies, DeSantis awarded $3.2 million to Okaloosa County through the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund to expand roads, rail lines, and utility infrastructure at the Shoal River Ranch.
“Shoal River Ranch is an industrial mega site, and with this investment, it is expected to bring more than 11,000 jobs to the Okaloosa County region. This will more than double the current number of manufacturing jobs in the area, bringing more than 4,000 new jobs in manufacturing,” the Florida Governor’s Office said in a press release.
“Today’s grant will lay the foundation for a dramatic expansion of manufacturing in Okaloosa County,” DeSantis noted. “Florida is committed to expanding our industrial base, and investments like this, as well as our strong support for skilled trades and workforce education, will help us achieve this goal.”
Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) Secretary Dane Eagle also addressed those attending the event.
“DEO is proud to assist the governor in his mission to stimulate job and business growth in Florida,” Eagle said. “This funding will support economic development in Okaloosa County by creating available, ready-to-access sites for industrial development, which will have lasting impacts throughout the region.”
The criticism from the Florida governor also came as “234,088 migrants [were] encountered at the Southern border in April, per a DHS court filing today. That’s the highest number in DHS history. 117,989 migrants were released into the U.S. in April. 113,248 were removed, including 96,908 expelled via Title 42,” according to Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin on Tuesday.
Biden, upon the advice of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has pushed to end Title 42 on May 23, but a federal judge put a temporary stop to the administration’s plans in late April after a lawsuit from Missouri, Louisiana, and Arizona, The Daily Wire reported.
“In a lawsuit originally filed by Missouri, Louisiana, and Arizona, our Office just obtained a temporary restraining order to keep Title 42 in place. This is a huge victory for border security, but the fight continues on,” Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt said.
The harsh criticism of Biden’s border policies also followed just one day after DeSantis posted a tweet arguing that the president’s easing of Cuban restrictions marks another failure in leadership.
“Biden’s plan to prop up the Cuban dictatorship represents yet another failure when it comes to standing for freedom in our hemisphere,” DeSantis wrote.
“Money from ‘tourism’ will go into the pockets of the Cuban regime – and will help fortify the government against those seeking freedom in Cuba,” he added.