Border resolution gets unanimous nod

By John Labriola - The third time proved to be the charm for Citrus County Commissioner Diana Finegan's border security resolution.

The County Commission voted 5-0 last week to urge Congress to secure the border and encourage Gov. Ron DeSantis, the Florida Legislature and the sheriff's office to take further steps to fight illegal immigration.

The unanimous vote marked an unexpectedly harmonious close to a months-long saga that started when Finegan accepted the Citrus County Republican Party's request to sponsor the resolution but then pulled it from the commission's Oct. 10 agenda to rework and update the language. The debate heated up later that month when Commissioner Rebecca Bays, in widely panned remarks, asserted that getting behind stronger border enforcement was dangerous because it could upset terrorists. 

Finegan tried again on Nov. 14 but was unable to get her reworked resolution added to that day's agenda because of a missed deadline. Finegan also endured weeks of attacks over her resolution from the viciously leftist Citrus County Chronicle, but the sentiment was overwhelmingly on her side last week as about a dozen residents turned out to support Citrus County taking a stand for border enforcement in the face of Biden's treasonous Open Borders policies, which have led to an estimated 8 million illegal aliens pouring into the country since he took office.

"I think it's terrible that our government has turned their back on Americans by allowing our borders to be open," said April Wnuk of Hernando. "We need to stand up for our country and get back that border."

Finegan read from a report produced by a statewide grand jury convened by Gov. Ron DeSantis to investigate the impacts of the illegal immigration disaster, which concluded that it may be up to Florida to tackle illegal immigration on its own, at least in the short term, given the Biden administration's commitment to keeping the U.S. southern border wide open.

"That's why this is important, because local people want to have a voice, and we can press upon our local officials – not only federal but also state – since the grand jury is saying it's probably going to be up to the state of Florida," Finegan said. 

While the effects of the border catastrophe on Citrus County may not be that obvious yet, Finegan said it's taking an increasing toll on the community's health and safety, as evidenced by the nearly 400 drug overdoses that occurred in Citrus County in 2022 – much of that from fentanyl coming across the border from Mexico. 

The vote on a border resolution comes amid another showdown in Congress over Biden's demand for another $60 billion for the Ukraine. New House Speaker Mike Johnson is insisting that any additional funding for the war be tied to securing America's borders, but he will need a unified Republican caucus to maintain that position.  

Call our district congressman Gus Bilirakis at (202) 225-5755 and let him know that Citrus County stands united for not sending another penny to the Ukraine until America's borders are secured.

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