Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) recently drew attention when he shut down a reporter during a press conference for using the term “undocumented immigrant.” The exchange occurred as the reporter asked about the state’s policies on immigration and how it would handle President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration. DeSantis quickly interrupted, insisting that the more accurate term was "illegal alien." His response sparked immediate debate, with critics accusing him of further politicizing immigration discourse, while supporters argued that he was simply upholding legal definitions.
“Florida is home to hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants who are working in areas of…,” the reporter began to say before DeSantis interjected.
“Well, you know, just to be—so the federal government has made clear that the statutory term—it’s not undo—they’re illegal aliens. That’s the statutory term,” the governor hit back.
DeSantis's brilliance drew comparisons between a person illegally coming to the United States and a valid driver's license holding U.S. citizen getting into the car without the physical document on them.
“I mean, like, undocumented, it’s like if I get in my car and I forget my wallet, OK, I don’t have my document on me like my driver’s license. But, I mean, I still have a right to drive. I just may have made a mistake. This is intentional to come in illegally. It’s not just a question of missing a document,” he continued.
However, the reporter kept pushing the governor further on the issue.
“I’ll rephrase that. So, Florida is home to hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants who are—illegal aliens, if you want to call it, who are working in areas of agriculture, farming, construction, hospitality,” the reporter said.
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“I’m just wondering, once we start to see, you know, the significant roundups of these people, is there a plan in place to help those industries, to prevent those industries from experiencing true hardship, financial hardship?”
DeSantis quickly shut down the reporter, saying that if a person cannot verify their immigration status, they cannot work in the U.S.
BRILLIANT -- DESANTIS SETS REPORTER STRAIGHT ON ILLEGALS.
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) January 24, 2025
How can you not love this. The vocabulary is changing, and quickly.pic.twitter.com/b7hE6oE07r
The exchange comes after DeSantis urged Republican state lawmakers to take swift and decisive action on illegal immigration, likening the effort to fighting like a “junkyard dog.” He warned that failure to take a strong stance would have political consequences, stressing the importance of confronting the issue head-on.
Ahead of a special legislative session next week, DeSantis urged the Florida legislature to pass new bills targeting illegal immigration, aligning state efforts with the federal policies of the Trump administration. However, GOP leaders have deemed the session "premature" and indicated they may adjourn without addressing the governor’s proposed measures. DeSantis cautioned that such a move would have serious political repercussions, warning that it would be "very, very hazardous politically." He also indicated the possibility of calling another special session if legislative action is delayed.
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