Media Inquiries
Contact the Office of Communications:
Erin Moffet
Strategic Communications Director
(850) 766-7358
Erin.Moffet@FDACS.gov
Caroline Stonecipher
Deputy Communications Director
(850) 661-7153
Caroline.Stonecipher@FDACS.gov
Sabina Covo
Hispanic Media Director
Sabina.Covo@FDACS.gov
Tallahassee, Fla. — Following reports that Governor Ron DeSantis will leave Florida this weekend to visit Texas and the U.S.-Mexico border, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, an independently-elected member of the Florida Cabinet, offered the below statement:
“Floridians are living through multiple crises including historic protests for Cuban freedom, the worst red tide in years, recovery efforts from the tragic Surfside collapse, and once-again skyrocketing COVID-19 cases – but this Governor chooses to skip town and play Border Patrol. We have issues that need leadership here in Florida, but the Governor is more interested in what even Texans are calling ‘political manipulation’ at the border. He should let the experts handle immigration and focus on trying to run our state.”
DeSantis has come under criticism for leaving South Florida just one day after the Surfside building collapse tragedy to announce his deployment of Florida law enforcement officers to the border at taxpayer expense, which has been called “grandstanding and fear-mongering” and a “political stunt.”
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