Ron DeSantis: ‘You Can’t Build a Strong Economy Based on Illegality’

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) on Monday defended recent legislation he signed to tackle illegal immigration in the state — which made Florida the largest state in the country to do full E-Verify for employment — making it clear that one cannot build a strong economy “based on illegality.”

When asked about illegal immigrant families leaving the state due to the immigration bill the governor signed into law and the implications that could have in certain sectors of the workforce, DeSantis maintained that the economy cannot be built on “illegality” in the first place.

“Florida law is that you have to be here legally to be able to be employed. That’s been the law for forever, and so when we have something like E-Verify, that’s a tool to make sure that longstanding Florida law is enforced,” he said, referencing the legislation he signed last week.

“You can’t build a strong economy based on illegality,” he said, noting that in addition to President Biden’s open border policies, there are essentially incentives for individuals to come into the country illegally.

DeSantis on Florida's law prohibiting corporations from hiring illegal aliens: "You can't build a strong economy based on illegality." pic.twitter.com/1p3xLsliH0

— DeSantis War Room 🐊 (@DeSantisWarRoom) May 15, 2023

“Part of the reason though you’re seeing those numbers is because people feel that there are carrots to be able to come,” he said, emphasizing the belief that the U.S. is not going to enforce its own laws.

“I think if you want to secure border — yes I’ve said let’s build a wall. I will send my guys that built the Pine Island bridge to the southern border to build a wall. I’ll do that,” DeSantis said.

RELATED: DHS Chief Mayorkas Refuses to Recognize Cost of Illegal Immigration to American Citizens

CBS News

Ultimately, DeSantis said illegal border crossers have essentially been told that if they come illegally, they will get a court date kicked off years into the future.

“So then just go into the interior of our country — how is that serving as a deterrent?” he asked. “And so I think in the in the state of Florida, our laws have been long standing. They are what they are, and I think that when you’re living by that and enforcing that I think we’re stronger as a result.”

WATCH the full press conference below: