EAGLE PASS, Texas — Residents in a border town grappling with sustained illegal immigration and community releases eagerly welcomed 2024 Republican presidential candidate Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) for a visit Monday.
The second-term Florida governor made a stop in a remote part of the state in south-central Texas Monday morning, where townspeople were optimistic that he could maintain control of the border.
"Governor DeSantis promised that action will be taken when he wins the presidential election," said Alison Anderson, a resident of the nearby border town Del Rio. "And for me, seeing action being taken against the cartels, the smugglers, the trafficking, the gotaways, and the relentless lawlessness that is happening along our southern border and throughout border communities is something I can certainly stand behind and support."
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DeSantis used the stop to make a major policy announcement and rolled out his border security plan while speaking to residents at the local VFW Hall. The trip to a border town marked his second after his stop in Arizona earlier in June and now outranks President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, who have each been to the border once.
Residents in Eagle Pass, a town of roughly 30,000, believed DeSantis's stop was a genuine attempt to hear their concerns and put forth plans to fix them.
Tony Castaneda, a resident of the nearby town Quemado and the former Eagle Pass chief of police, turned out Monday morning because he believed DeSantis meant what he said in his calls for action.
"I really think that the man is very sincere in his message," said Castaneda.
DeSantis has frustrated Democratic politicians in Massachusetts and California by flying immigrants to their states, similar to how Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) has bused immigrants to major Northern cities. This spring, the Florida legislature passed a major anti-illegal immigration bill, and DeSantis signed it into law in May.
The crowd erupted in applause when DeSantis mentioned transporting immigrants to Martha's Vineyard.
Anderson, a mother of three young children, said it was DeSantis's strategy to impose "consequences" for illegal immigration that appealed to her the most.
"I am a big believer in if you break the law, you break the law — there's no reward for being a criminal, in my opinion," Anderson said. "I believe that enforcing our laws is one of the most important things that we need to be doing, especially with immigration law."
Anderson said illegal immigration has had a negative effect on her family's ability to ranch on the border. People traversing through her family's land as they attempt to evade capture cut water tanks and lines in hopes of getting a drink but end up depleting reserves needed for cattle. Fences cut by people trying to get through risk livestock escaping.
"He was the first one to come and support our governor with the security of our border," said Castaneda. "We need to really focus in on different issues affecting our country, but in this area, immigration is a big subject of concern, especially to people like me that have property on the border on the river, and I've never had this type of invaders come through our property."
George Antuna, chairman of the Hispanic Republicans of Texas PAC and former Eagle Pass city manager, said the community appreciates the genuine concern and help from elected officials, including when Abbott has visited.
Abbott did not accompany DeSantis Monday, but both have worked together over the past two years to share resources and personnel, with Florida doing more than any other state at present to assist Texas with border security operations.
Since 2021, Abbott has twice called in police and military from other states, and twice DeSantis sent support to Texas.
Florida personnel assigned to the Texas border this time around have encountered 7,000 illegal immigrants and helped Texas state police make more than 300 arrests for human smuggling, drug paraphernalia, and unlawful carrying of weapons.
The latest deployment of Florida personnel was announced on May 16. DeSantis said the state had mobilized more than 1,100 people, including highway patrol troopers, National Guard soldiers, and emergency management personnel. In addition, Florida offered Texas aviation crew teams and fixed-wing aircraft, mobile command vehicles and teams, drones and drone operators, and water vessels.
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Florida is among 14 states that have sent in help, including Arkansas, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Virginia — though the Sunshine State has sent the most.
Abbott is considered a potential Republican presidential candidate, but he has not entered the race.