Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis makes surprise visit to US-Mexico border in Arizona

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis made his first visit to the U.S.-Mexico border as a Republican presidential hopeful Wednesday, meeting with Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels and other law enforcement officials in Sierra Vista.

DeSantis railed against President Joe Biden’s border policies during the roundtable discussion and announced an interstate partnership of “like-minded” sheriffs and governors to help replicate Florida’s response to unauthorized immigration.

“I think this has been a massive dereliction of duty by the president,” DeSantis said during the discussion. “While the federal government leaves a void, the states need to step up and local officials like the sheriffs need to step up.”

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, Sheriff Grady Judd of Polk County, Florida, and Sheriff Wayne Ivey of Brevard County, Florida, participated in the discussion, which was held at Cochise College's Sierra Vista campus.

DeSantis’ visit to the Arizona border comes as he attempts to navigate the increasingly crowded Republican presidential candidate field ahead of the 2024 elections.

The interstate partnership includes a training program developed by the Florida Highway Patrol and the Florida National Guard’s Counterdrug Task Force. It’s unclear if Dannels or other Arizona sheriffs will take part in the coalition.

Cochise County officials have previously raised concerns about the high-speed chases that traverse the county as a result of human smuggling events near the border.

“We have the will in states like Florida. You have the will in Cochise County. You may not have the will in Washington, D.C.,” DeSantis said.

Cochise County Roundtable: Sen. Kyrsten Sinema: Homeland Security not ready for end of border restriction

Rep. Raúl Grijalva, D-Ariz., tweeted that DeSantis' "hate and fearmongering" are not welcome in Arizona as the congressman blasted DeSantis' visit Wednesday.

"@GovRonDeSantis is taking a break from fighting with Mickey, banning books, and demonizing LGBTQ kids to pander to the same old race-baiting, anti-immigrant, extremist politicians and officials in southern Arizona," Grijalva wrote in the tweet.

DeSantis' Arizona trip comes on the heels of Florida officials confirming that the state flew migrants from New Mexico to Sacramento on Monday and last Friday. The migrants boarded the flights voluntarily and were dropped off at a nonprofit, according to a spokesperson for Florida’s Division of Emergency Management.

DeSantis defended the decision to charter the flights during the discussion Wednesday, claiming that California's policies incentivized unauthorized immigration into the country.

Migrant bussing: State now busing asylum seekers to Phoenix with shelters in southern Arizona full

California Gov. Gavin Newsom suggested “kidnapping charges” could apply to Florida officials responsible for orchestrating the flights. Newsom said the state is investigating to see if any laws were broken.

Newsom called DeSantis a “small, pathetic man” in a tweet that referenced California’s penal code detailing the definition of kidnapping.

The flights to Sacramento are only the latest in a string of actions taken by DeSantis to underscore the impact of unauthorized immigration. In September, DeSantis arranged for 49 migrants to be flown from Texas to Martha's Vineyard.

A Texas sheriff recommended criminal charges be filed Monday for the flights of migrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard. Critics have denounced the actions as political stunts that use migrants as pawns.

Have a news tip or story idea about the border and its communities? Contact the reporter at josecastaneda@arizonarepublic.com or connect with him on Twitter @joseicastaneda.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Ron DeSantis makes first Arizona border visit during presidential run