Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Florida News

Florida Republicans Want Answers From Pete Buttigieg on DOT’s Use of Nation’s Airports to House Illegal Immigrants”

Last week, six Republicans representing Florida in the U.S. House–U.S. Reps. Aaron Bean, Kat Cammack, Byron Donalds, Neal Dunn, Scott Franklin and Dan Webster–joined more than 60 fellow House Republicans in a letter to U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg opposing the Biden administration’s “allowance and encouragement of the use of airports throughout the nation as temporary shelters for illegal immigrants.”

Members cited reports in the letter that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has proposed housing 60,000 migrants at four public airports and other facilities in New York and New Jersey, as has been done at Chicago O’Hare International Airport.

“We adamantly oppose these ill-conceived plans that blatantly ignore the true crisis at hand and would inappropriately utilize America’s infrastructure,” the members wrote. “Our Nation’s airport infrastructure was built to facilitate commerce and transportation, not to serve as housing for unvetted and undocumented migrants. We request that you enforce public airport grant assurances and reject such plans.

“The Biden-Harris Administration’s abject failure to protect our border or support policies that will keep America secure is an unconscionable dereliction of the most fundamental duty the Federal Government has to the citizens of this country,” they added.

The members also noted that airports are generally required to request permission from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) before using aeronautical land and facilities for nonaeronautical purposes, like the housing of migrants, on an interim basis.

“These provisions prevent governments, including the Federal Government, from abusing taxpayer investment in aeronautical facilities and commandeering them at below-market rates for nonaeronautical and incompatible purposes. It is your responsibility to direct the FAA to reject any attempt by a Federal, state, or local agency to use airport facilities for such a nonaeronautical and incompatible purpose as housing migrants,” the members continued.

The members also requested answers from Buttigieg by no later than November 20, 2023 on the following questions.

How many and which airports regulated by the FAA currently host temporary or permanent shelters for illegal immigrants or other persons?

Has the FAA received or granted any request from an airport or a local, state, or Federal agency between January 20, 2021, and today to temporarily use aeronautical facilities for purposes of hosting a migrant shelter? If so, which?

To what extent has DHS consulted with the FAA about the appropriateness of proposing to house migrants at airports? If DHS has consulted with the FAA, what has been the FAA’s response?

Author

  • Florida Daily offers news, insights and analysis as we cover the most important issues in the state, from education, to business and politics.

    View all posts

Share Story Via Text, E-Mail, Facebook or Twitter

Follow Us on Social Media

Archives

Related Stories

Florida News

The National Taxpayers Union (NTU) has released its annual report card for the first session of the 118th Congress of the United States.The group,...

Election News

A poll known for right-leaning sample audiences revealed recent poll numbers that show 80% of voters surveyed said that they don’t think Trump’s choice...

Florida News

A bipartisan-supported bill that makes critical updates to help the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and provides better support to youth...

Political News

Below is a statement from the office of Florida’s U.S. Senators, Sen. Marco Rubio and Sen. Rick Scott, regarding the U.S. Army Corps of...

Florida Government & Politics

The Institute for Legislative Analysis (ILA) just released the voting trends on Florida U.S Congressional members.Their latest analysis found that “culture war” issues have...

Florida News

Florida Senator Rick Scott was joined by fellow Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio and Alaska’s Senators Lisa Murkowski (R), and Dan Sullivan (R), to...

Florida News

Below is an official statement from Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) regarding a bill he submitted seeking tax relief on flood insurance. “As flood insurance...

Florida News

In 2015, conservatives inside the republican party founded the House Freedom Caucus. The group was an alternative that would buck the establishment when it...