DeSantis, Rubio slam Biden’s potential Florida travel ban

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Sen. Marco Rubio are slamming the Biden administration for reportedly considering a domestic travel ban on the state, calling the threat “unconstitutional” and a “political attack” on Floridians.

The pair of Republican pols responded to a report by the Miami Herald on Wednesday that the Biden administration was floating a domestic ban allegedly to clamp down on the new, highly contagious COVID-19 variants that are racing through the nation, including Florida.

“Any attempt to restrict by the federal government would be an attack on our state done purely for political purposes,” DeSantis said at a press conference Thursday.

The governor also said the move would be “unconstitutional” — which was echoed by Rubio.


Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during a news conference about the opening of a COVID-19 vaccination site on Jan. 6, 2021.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during a news conference about the opening of a COVID-19 vaccination site on Jan. 6, 2021.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

“So now that they’re considering actual restrictions on Americans inside the country, I think it is unconstitutional,” the Florida senator said on Fox News Thursday. “I think it’s going to be challenged in court successfully.”

White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters at a briefing Thursday that “no decisions have been made around additional public health measures that would change domestic travel.”


Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) called the Biden administration's potential travel ban "unconstitutional."
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) called the Biden administration’s potential travel ban “unconstitutional.”
Joshua Roberts/Pool/Getty Images

The Biden administration has also been considering mandating COVID-19 tests for domestic travel — which Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg called an “appropriate measure.”

“I would say that CDC is looking at all its options, but, you know, there has got to be common-sense medicine, science really driving this,” he said on CNN earlier this week.


A sign reading, "masks required in this area," is seen as travelers prepare to check-in for their Delta airlines flight at the Miami International Airport on Feb. 1, 2021.
A sign reading “Masks required in this area” is posted as travelers prepare to check in for their Delta flight at Miami International Airport on Feb. 1, 2021.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

“And what we know is that it’s the appropriate measure for international travel, people traveling into the US, given some of those considerations. You know, I’d say the domestic picture is very different, but the CDC is always evaluating what can best be done to do keep Americans safe.”