White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that Republican governors who are sending migrants to different states are performing an “illegal stunt.”
Her comments come just one day after DeSantis sent two full planes of illegal immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard on Wednesday. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott also sent two busses containing over 100 migrants to a location near Vice President Kamala Harris’ residence at the Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C. on Thursday morning.
“What they are doing is an illegal stunt, is a political stunt. And it’s really just disrespectful to humanity. It doesn’t afford them any dignity, what they’re doing when you are abandoning families and children in a place where they were told they were going to get housing,” Jean-Pierre said during a press conference on Thursday. “It is just cruel, and it’s not about the process. Actually, It’s about a political tool or political stunt that they’re moving forward with.”
She also said that the federal government is attempting to “manage the consequences of these two stunts” that were done by Abbott and DeSantis.
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When asked if any legal action would be taken, Jean-Pierre said that she would refer the reporter to the Department of Justice.
She also said that Republican governors are using migrants as “political pawns” and said these are people who are “fleeing communism.”
“There’s a legal way of doing this. And for managing migrants, Republican governors, interfering in that process and using migrants as political pawns is shameful, is reckless and just plain wrong. And remember, these are people who are fleeing communism, who are fleeing hardship,” Jean-Pierre said.
Jean-Pierre also said if the governors of Texas and Florida “truly care” about border security, they should ask Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas or Florida Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott “why they voted against the president’s request for record funding for the Department of Homeland Security.”
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While making the comment, Jean-Pierre mistakenly referred to Cruz as the “Texas governor.”
A spokesperson for DeSantis previously told Fox News Digital that the two planes were sent to Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts was part of the state’s plan to transport illegal immigrants to sanctuary destinations.
“Yes, Florida can confirm the two planes with illegal immigrants that arrived in Martha’s Vineyard today were part of the state’s relocation program to transport illegal immigrants to sanctuary destinations,” the spokesperson said. “States like Massachusetts, New York and California will better facilitate the care of these individuals who they have invited into our country by incentivizing illegal immigration through their designation as ‘sanctuary states’ and support for the Biden administration’s open border policies.”
Fox News’ Jessica Chasmar, Tyler Olson, and Timothy H.J. Nerozzi contributed to this report.
