Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg blamed Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) for the ongoing crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border that was sparked by President Joe Biden's policies because DeSantis did not help fix the immigration system while he was a member of Congress.
Buttigieg was asked about the DeSantis' and Texas Governor Greg Abbott's (R) relocation program for processed and released migrants who illegally crossed the border during the 2022 Texas Tribune Festival.
"Obviously, there are issues with the border and with migration. But these are the kinds of stunts you see from people who don’t have a solution," Buttigieg said on Thursday.
"Governor was in Congress, where was he when they were debating immigration reform? What have any of these have done to be part of the solution?" he continued. "It’s not just ineffectual — it is hurting people in order to get attention."
.@PeteButtigieg on the busing of migrants by Gov. @GregAbbott_TX & @GovRonDeSantis: "These are the kinds of stunts you see from people who don’t have a solution."
— Texas Tribune (@TexasTribune) September 23, 2022
“It’s not just ineffectual — it is hurting people in order to get attention.” #TribFest22 https://t.co/c5tFpfrYmF pic.twitter.com/r14W0x13JG
DeSantis sparked a huge wave of criticism after his state's program flew migrants to Martha's Vineyard. A class action lawsuit has been filed against on behalf of the migrants, claiming they agreed to the flights under false pretenses. In reponse, DeSantis' office provided the consent forms the migrants signed. The consent forms were in Spanish and English, with migrants have to write the state they agreed to be transported to.
