Kevin McAleenan, acting head of DHS, told "Face the Nation" that the Trump government would not send migrants to Florida

The Trump administration will not send immigrants crossing the southern border into Florida, a reversal decided last weekend, said Sunday Homeland Security Department Chief Kevin McAleenan at "Face the Nation".

McAleenan's comments come after Florida officials said they were told earlier last week send immigrants to the South Florida jurisdictions. McAleenan told "Face the Nation" that "US Customs and Border Protection has warned local authorities in these areas that they plan to do so," but the Acting Commissioner of CBP decided not to do it on Saturday.

The news of these projects has drawn criticism from Florida's elected officials, including Ron DeSantis, the Republican governor of the state, who said Friday that the state "can not accommodate in Florida what dumping of illegal immigrants ". DeSantis confirmed Sunday in a tweet that he had spoken to Mr Trump and that the migrants would not visit his country.

"President @realDonaldTrump I spoke yesterday and confirmed that he did not approve, and would not approve, to send immigrants who cross the border illegally to Florida. It's not going to happen, "tweeted DeSantis.

McAleenan insisted that the administration was focusing on the use of southwestern border areas to handle the influx of immigrants. He also claimed that the administration did not transfer immigrants to sanctuary jurisdictions, as President Trump said. McAleenan said sanctuary cities were already home to many immigrants because these cities were a "magnet".

McAleenan also insisted that he had never threatened to quit, denying a report from the Washington Post that he threatened to leave amidst a dispute with the senior advisor. Trump and Immigration Advisor, Stephen Miller, reportedly pushed for a further transformation of the agency.

McAleenan, who is also head of CBP, took over from former DHS secretary Kirstjen Nielsen resigned in April.

Last week, Mr. Trump announced a proposal to reform legal immigration by limiting some family-based migrations and introducing higher skills and education requirements. The proposal would reorganize the family-based migration system, Mr Trump calls "chain migration". But the proposal was clear in the details, and the administration did not indicate a deadline for the publication of the proposal in the form of a bill.

"Our proposal is pro-American, pro-immigrant and pro-worker, it's just common sense," the president said on Thursday to his supporters and journalists gathered in the White House's Rose Garden.