Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s (R) political clown show has rolled into town and parked itself helpfully right on Fox News’ doorstep.
A week after Abbott promised to send buses and planes to D.C. carrying undocumented immigrants who had been processed in Texas and released from federal custody, the first bus arrived on Wednesday and stopped outside the building that houses the studios for Fox News, NBC News and C-Span, per Fox News reporter John Roberts:
Abbott stated in his announcement last week that the trips were voluntary for the migrants, and he acknowledged during a Fox News interview on Thursday that he couldn’t actually force them to get on the buses because “that would be kidnapping, even though it would be by a law enforcement agency.”
The Texas governor is up for reelection this year and will be facing off against Democratic rival and former presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke in November.
On the same day Abbott unveiled his plans for the gimmick, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) — who’s both running for reelection and is widely seen as a top potential contender in the 2024 presidential race — played copycat. DeSantis pledged to set up a similarly bizarre trafficking operation of his own in which he would send undocumented immigrants in Florida to “sanctuary states,” including President Joe Biden’s home state of Delaware.
DeSantis accused Biden of “dumping people” into Florida, a full imitation of ex-President Donald Trump’s racist attacks on immigration as the Florida governor sets the stage for himself to take a possible shot at the White House in 2024.
DeSantis’ office made it clear to Fox News on Tuesday that the governor Means Business with the stunt and will have the funds to do it when he signs the state’s new budget.
