Gov. Ron DeSantis slammed California and Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday after protests, and in some areas, violent riots erupted in Los Angeles County over the weekend in response to federal immigration raids.
"I think cause people realize their businesses aren't going to burn down in Florida and you're going to be able to actually keep law and order," DeSantis said on disorder. "I see what's going on out there, and it's really disgraceful to be letting the inmates run the asylum."
DeSantis made his dig at California while speaking at a press conference touting Florida's manufacturing growth in Crawfordville. The governor, in a bit of a state sparring match, has mocked Newsom and the Golden State in the past on other issues.
"They are supposedly objecting to the enforcement of immigration laws. And so they are protesting that, which, first of all, the federal government has a right to do - that's the laws of this country," DeSantis said. "And you have every right, the Trump administration, DHS [Department of Homeland Security] has every right to be enforcing the laws.
A symbol of the unrest has included an image of a protester on a dirtbike waving a Mexican flag.
"You have some of these people, they are objecting because they don't want to get kicked out of America, yet they are burning the American flag. And yet they are waving the flag of the country that they don't want to get sent back to," DeSantis continued. "Can you please make this make sense to me? I mean it's insane."
As civil disorder permeates through Los Angeles, Florida has taken several steps against illegal immigration while upholding law and order under the governor's leadership.
In February, DeSantis signed a package of strong anti-illegal immigration measures into state law. In the months since, the governor has executed immigration crackdowns under Operation Tidal Wave and overseen other enforcement measures carried out by state officials.
Unlike Los Angeles, DeSantis prioritized keeping one of Florida's sought-after destinations, Miami Beach, safe from riots during spring break. The crackdown included an increase in law enforcement personnel and DUI checkpoints.
"What happens in California, I think, a lot of people over the years - they just haven't felt safe, particularly in places like LA and San Francisco, because they really do let the inmates run the asylum," DeSantis said. "When you try and do that in Florida, the chances of you getting away with that is precisely zero because we will hold you accountable and do that very quickly."
