During the third Republican presidential debate on Wednesday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis stated that he would continue to support Israel and would send students who are foreign nationals who are siding with Hamas back to their home country.
“They're terrorists. They're massacring innocent people. They would wipe every Jew off the globe if they could,” DeSantis said of Hamas during the debate.
“We will stand with Israel in word and in deed, in public and in private. I can tell you, as governor, I actually did something about it. Biden's neglect has been atrocious. We had Floridians that were over there after the attack. He left them stranded. They couldn't get flights out. So I scrambled resources in Florida. I sent planes over to Israel, and I brought back over 700 people to safety. There could have been more hostages had we not acted,” he said.
“We acted and we saved lives,” he added.
I sent planes over to Israel and I brought back over 700 people to safety…There’s a difference between words and deeds. We acted and we saved lives. pic.twitter.com/Bw0t9wIdlw
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) November 9, 2023
DeSantis added that he would send home students on visas who express support for Hamas, which has occurred at a number of college campuses across the country.
“I was the first presidential candidate to say, ‘If you are here on a student visa as a foreign national, and you’re making common cause with Hamas, I’m canceling your visa and I am sending you home,” DeSantis said.
“You have Jewish students fleeing for their lives…Joe Biden should have the Department of Justice on these college campuses and holding the universities accountable for civil rights violations,” he continued. “And what is Biden doing? Not only is he not helping the Jewish students who are being persecuted, he is launching an initiative to combat so-called Islamophobia. No, it’s the anti-semitism that’s spiraling out of control.”
If you are here on a student visa as a foreign national, and you’re making common cause with Hamas, I’m canceling your visa and I am sending you home.
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) November 9, 2023
No questions asked. pic.twitter.com/QxZT7YiyPm
One week after Hamas launched its attack on Israel, Townhall covered how Florida GOP Sen. Marco Rubiocalled on the Biden administration to cancel visas for foreign nationals that are expressing support for the terrorist organization. Since then, other Republican lawmakers have shown support.