On Tuesday (September 20) morning, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) came out in defense of Republican Governors sending migrants from border cities to northern Democrat-led cities.
Taking to the Senate floor, McConnell lauded the moves for giving “well-to-do blue enclaves” a small taste of what border towns experience.
In his address, McConnell stated, “Out of desperation, a few governors along our southern border are now giving some Democrat-run states and cities just a tiny, tiny taste of what border communities have been enduring, literally, for years.”
He explained that “these well-to-do blue enclaves are finally witnessing the smallest fraction of the challenges that open borders have forced on working-class communities all across our country.”
McConnell’s comments on the matter come as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) and Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) have made headlines for the relocation of migrants.
Abbott — who has sent more than 10,000 to New York City, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. — sent two busloads of migrants to Washington, D.C. last week, dropping them off close to Vice President Kamala Harris’ home.
DeSantis also made his first foray into relocating migrants when he flew 50 migrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts.
Arizona Governor Doug Ducey (R) has also 1,800 migrants to D.C.
McConnell noted the discrepancy between the influx of migrants border towns are inundated with every day and the months blue states had to receive the relocated migrants.
“All those cities combined have had months to accept, between them, approximately one day’s share of our nation’s illegal immigration,” he said.
McConnell also highlighted that despite these cities not facing the numbers border towns deal with, New York City Mayor Eric Adams was already claiming the self-proclaimed “sanctuary city” resources had reached a “breaking point.”
