Sep 29, 2022 - Politics & Policy

Rep. Salazar on DeSantis' migrant flights: "Biden admin not doing its job"

Rep. Maria Salazar in conversation at an axios event

Photo: Axios

When asked if it was wrong for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) to send undocumented migrants to Martha’s Vineyard, Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.) deflected at an Axios Latino-Telemundo event Thursday, saying: “We should go to the root of the problem, which is that the Biden administration is not doing its job.”

Driving the news: Earlier this month, DeSantis sent two planes of undocumented migrants to Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts, as part of an escalation between Republican governors and President Biden over his immigration policies.

  • Days later, the nearly 50 migrants filed a class-action lawsuit against DeSantis and Florida officials, alleging they were given misleading information, such as promises of cash assistance, employment services and housing assistance.
  • Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) had previously sent buses of migrants to so-called sanctuary cities such as New York, Washington, D.C., and Chicago.

What they're saying: "It's been highly irresponsible for the last 18 months for the Biden administration — who is the one responsible for the immigration policies in the country — to have allowed the 2.5 million people" into the U.S., Salazar said in a virtual interview.

Ana Navarro-Cárdenas, co-host of "The View," told Axios in a separate interview at the same event that DeSantis' migrant flights were a "stunt."

  • “We all know what a political stunt looks like, sounds like and smells like, and this was a political stunt. Frankly, I think he was trying to outdo Gov. Greg Abbott," she said.

Go deeper: What we know about Texas and Florida's transport of migrants

Go deeper