The Republican-controlled Florida Legislature is in the process of considering an aggressive set of legislative proposals from Gov. Ron DeSantis to combat the illegal immigration crisis that has exploded during President Joe Biden’s administration.
The New York Times called DeSantis’ legislative push “the toughest crackdown” on illegal immigration by any state in recent memory and noted that it is likely to pass and be signed into law.
“With this legislation, Florida is continuing to crack down on the smuggling of illegal aliens, stopping municipalities from issuing ID cards to people here illegally, and ensuring that employers are hiring American citizens or those here legally,” DeSantis said when the package was unveiled in February. “Florida is a law and order state, and we won’t turn a blind eye to the dangers of Biden’s Border Crisis. We will continue to take steps to protect Floridians from reckless federal open border policies.”
DeSantis’ proposal would make it a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison to knowingly transport, conceal, or harbor illegal aliens. The felony would be upgraded to a second-degree felony punishable by 15 years in prison if the illegal alien is a minor.
The proposal would force all employers in the state to use E-Verify to determine employment eligibility and makes it a felony to use false identification to obtain employment.
The governor’s proposal also strongly disincentivizes illegal immigration in the state by prohibiting local governments from issuing ID cards to unauthorized aliens, invalidating out-of-state licenses issued to unauthorized aliens, requiring hospitals to collect data on the immigration status of patients, banning out-of-state tuition waivers at colleges and universities for unauthorized aliens, banning unauthorized aliens from being able to practice law, and closing a loophole that allows illegal aliens to be released from ICE detention.
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“I wholeheartedly thank and commend Gov. Ron DeSantis for having the courage to lead on this issue,” said State Sen. Blaise Ingoglia (R-District 11). “This problem is now at our doorstep, and Florida will not stand for it anymore.”
State Sen. Debbie Mayfield (R-District 19) said that the proposals are not aimed at “trying to hurt or harm people who are here legally.”
“There’s a right way and a wrong way to come here,” she said. “We have a process in this country.”