Why Governors Ship Illegal Immigrants Out of State

Why States Ship Illegal Immigrants Out of State

In 2022, several governors made headlines for busing and flying illegal aliens out of their states and into other parts of the country.

In this article we will discuss a few examples of this policy being enacted, why these states did this, and how it impacts the current immigration crisis.

Shipping Illegal Aliens Out of State

In the midst of an overwhelming run on the border in 2022, several governors took matters into their own hands.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis famously shipped illegal aliens out of Florida to the resort island of Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts. Texas Governor Greg Abbott followed suit and shipped illegal aliens to Washington D.C. and New York City.

To much media attention, some illegal aliens were dropped off right in front of the residence of Vice President Kamala Harris. New York City Mayor Eric Adams complained about the move and stated it was a strain on city resources.

Why They are Doing It

In the minds of these governors, they are simply bringing the border crisis to those who are helping fuel it.

While this may seem like a publicity stunt, it was done to highlight the hypocritical situation regarding illegal immigration in this country. DeSantis and Abbott oversee states that are at the forefront of the border crisis from both land and water. Their moves did not affect their electoral prospects, as both governors recorded strong victories in their most recent elections.

The federal government under President Biden has taken a highly flawed approach to dealing with illegal immigration. His policies have helped fueled this crisis into the catastrophe it is today.

Cities and states throughout the country have not helped this crisis by declaring themselves a sanctuary for illegal aliens. Our friends over at the Center of Immigration Studies have a useful breakdown of these areas.

The combination of these policies entice more illegal aliens to enter the United States. In the minds of Governors DeSantis and Abbott, those who promote policies that fuel the immigration crisis should have to live with its consequences as much as their states do.

Impact on Current Immigration Crisis

Critics of these moves have called them little more than a publicity stunt. Others have pointed out that short of deportation, it still means an illegal alien is in the country. It is correct that shipping an illegal alien to another part of the country does not actually stop the border crisis.

In the case of the illegal aliens brought to Martha’s Vineyard, they were provided with support from locals and shipped off island to a local military base.

With that said, this move highlights how border states bear the brunt of the current border crisis. Both DeSantis and Abbott have enacted strict policies regarding illegal aliens who enter their states. They have done their part in trying to stop the border crisis with the resources available to them.

The goal of shipping illegal aliens out of state is to generate media attention and highlight this issue at a national level.  These stunts would not be necessary if our federal government actually stepped in and enforced immigration laws.