Sheriff Bianco: 'Change DeSantis' Name To Biden, I Would Be On Board'

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco joined a coalition this month of more than 90 sheriffs from across the country — led by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — to bear down on the "southwest border crisis."

Applause-worthy or cringe-worthy?

Democrats and Republicans alike have called for immigration reform — yet here we are. Now, the Florida governor is using immigration as his lead campaign issue to win the White House in 2024, and it's a spectacle.

On Tuesday, Bianco was a guest on radio KFI's John and Ken show. The sheriff told listeners he's not endorsing DeSantis and the governor's presidential bid has nothing to do with joining the coalition.

"Change the DeSantis name to Biden, and I would be on board, too" Bianco said of the coalition.

An increase in illegal drugs, gangs and human trafficking in the United States is tied to illegal immigration, according to the sheriff, who said the coalition is "common sense" not tied to politics.

"What we have at the border is a disaster," Bianco said.

Southwest land border "encounters" are up, according to figures from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

For the 2023 fiscal year that ends in October, to date there were just over 1.6 million encounters. Encounters are defined as people who are apprehended by U.S. Border Protection officials and/or who are determined to be inadmissible into the United States.

The current fiscal year encounters could surpass the FY2022 number of nearly 2.4 million.

"As Sheriffs, we are thankful that Florida has recognized the crisis at our border and we are partnering with the Sunshine State to bring law and order back to our streets," the more than 90 sheriffs, including Bianco, said in a letter attached to DeSantis' June 2022 announcement.

On Monday, DeSantis was in Eagle Pass, Texas, to lay out his immigration policy proposal. Many found the highlights similar to former President Donald Trump's tough-talk strategy: end birthright citizenship, build the southern border wall, send U.S. forces into Mexico to combat drug cartels.

During Monday's media event, DeSantis painted southern border immigrants with a broad brush, insinuating the vast majority are criminals: “If somebody were breaking into your house to do something bad, you would respond with force. Yet why don’t we do that at the southern border?” the governor said.

DeSantis used the term “invasion” to describe the number of immigrants coming to the United States through the southern border.

Bianco seems to have little tolerance for those who view immigration as a larger issue beyond just criminal drug cartels. During Tuesday's radio interview, the sheriff called the American Civil Liberties Union, which advocates for immigrant rights on a national level, "a joke."

The Inland Coalition for Immigrants Justice, an advocacy group based in San Bernardino, responded to Bianco's coalition involvement.

"By aligning himself with such a task force led by the fascist Governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, Sheriff Bianco has demonstrated a troubling disregard for the principles of justice, equality, and human rights. Instead of fostering an inclusive and compassionate environment, he has chosen to contribute to a climate of fear and discrimination, targeting some of the most vulnerable members of our society," a June 23 news release from the organization read. "Moreover, the continued criminalization of immigrants and refugees and the expansion of the war on drugs only deepen existing racial disparities and perpetuate systemic injustice."

It's unclear how Bianco's coalition involvement will translate on the ground and whether he has plans for future projects tied to DeSantis. The sheriff did not respond to Patch's request for comment.

According to DeSantis' June 22 announcement, the law enforcement coalition is united in efforts to keep communities safe "from the ravages of our collapsed southern border."