A Pennsylvania state senator is leading a push to transport illegal immigrants placed in the state to President Joe Biden’s home state of Delaware.
Sen. Mario Scavello (R) filed a memorandum in the state Senate inviting colleagues to co-sponsor legislation for the relocation of illegal immigrants from Pennsylvania to Delaware. The legislation would mimic a proposal in Florida.
“In the very near future, I intend to introduce legislation to address the influx of illegal immigrants being relocated into Pennsylvania,” Scavello wrote in his memo. “This legislation is in response to many news reports and many concerned citizens who have reached out to my office regarding the relocation of illegal immigrants into their communities in the past, now and in the future.”
The Republican senator’s proposal is part of an increasing backlash to Biden’s handling of immigration on the U.S. southern border. While federal officials have struggled to resolve overcrowding at immigration facilities along the southern border, reported flights carrying dozens of illegal immigrants have landed in states such as Pennsylvania and Florida.
Earlier this month, a Pennsylvania outlet reported that several flights chartered by the federal government and carrying illegal immigrants landed in Pennsylvania. A Democratic congressman from the state said that the flights were part of a federal program to reunite unaccompanied children with family members or sponsors.
“The federal government has relocated an unknown number of illegal immigrants to states across the nation, including Pennsylvania, and at the same time they have failed to provide information that ensures the safety of Pennsylvania citizens,” Scavello said in his memo. “The open-border policy of the Presidents Administration has created a health crisis as well as a financial crisis, and states across the nation are being forced to pay for the reckless abandonment of the rule of law. What is most concerning is that Governor Wolf has jeopardized the safety and security of Pennsylvania residents by enabling this and by not acting on this, he is aligning himself with such policies.”
“The latest mass spread of COVID-19 is further exacerbated with the influx of illegal immigrants who are not being tested and quite apparently not vaccinated,” he continued. “Its unknown if there are any health-related exams or vetting of illegal immigrants. If the federal government is not willing to provide extra dollars to communities that have experienced increased strain on their healthcare systems, increased number of students in school districts and education costs and other services within our communities, then they shouldn’t be forced to take on more illegal immigrants and the additional financial responsibility. It is important to note that additional education costs per student range from $20,000 to $35,000 and these additional costs are all borne by the taxpayers in those school districts.”
“How many illegal immigrants has the President relocated to his own home state of Delaware? If it is good enough for Pennsylvania, then why not redirect the relocation to Delaware,” Scavello added. “Consequently, I am proposing legislation, similar to a proposal in the state of Florida, which would implement a transportation program for the unauthorized relocation of illegal immigrants in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to the state of Delaware. In addition, this legislation would ban the issuance of state contract work with any federal contractors working with the federal government to transport illegal immigrants into Pennsylvania.”