In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis has given his approval to three bills that levy sterner penalties on illegal immigration. These legislations have stirred debate among DeSantis and his fellow Republican lawmakers before reaching a accord. The Acts, however, faced strong opposition from the Democrats who perceive them as unconstitutional and politically charged.
A bundle of measures targeted at increasing consequences for illicit immigration was approved by Governor Ron DeSantis on a Thursday. These measures, which had been accorded high importance, seem to capitalize on a host of executive orders issued by former President Donald Trump soon after he assumed presidency the previous month. By following this approach, stated DeSantis, Florida has remained progressive in its efforts to curb illegal immigration.
The proactivity of the state was underlined by its Governor, who stated, ‘We are at the forefront of halting the illegal immigration crisis. We opted to act rather than be idle.’ Illegally immigrating individuals committing illegal acts under these legislations are liable to more severe penalties. Illegally entering the state is now also categorized as a criminal act in its own accord, leading to a compulsory jail term of nine months.
Additionally, the bills have specified stringent consequences for larger offenses. Bill SB 4C mandates capital punishment for any illegal migrant found guilty of a capital crime, these range from first-degree murder to sexually assaulting an underage child. SM 6C, another bill, looks for advice from the federal government regarding the possibility of linking local law enforcement agencies with programs designed to assist them in enforcing federal immigration laws.
The third bill, SB 2C, is focused on reinforcing new enforcement methods, which include the creation of the State Board of Immigration Enforcement. The Board will include Governor DeSantis along with three other key officials of the Florida Cabinet; the attorney general, the chief financial officer, and the agriculture commissioner.
These measures were brought into effect after Governor DeSantis and leaders of the Republican legislative council reached an agreement. This took place after myriad disagreements between the GOP leaders and DeSantis. Points of contention among the Republicans did exist prior to the eventual compromise.
The new laws, which came into effect on Thursday, omitted major provisions that were championed by DeSantis. These include limitations on illegal immigrants remitting funds to their families in their countries of origin, and empowering the governor to deport people back to their native countries. Despite these omissions, the compromise was still seen as a victory by both DeSantis and the legislative leadership.
Indications by Governor DeSantis suggest that he may advocate for restrictions on remittances in future discussions. However, caution has been advised to circumvent the establishment of a burdensome bureaucracy. It is hoped that the Congress will tackle this issue. DeSantis also indicated that a more robust E-verify legislation was on the table for future sessions.
This would include a potential expansion of the mandate for under 25 people businesses to participate in the program, per current laws in Florida. However, Senate Republicans deemed this proposal to be outside the special session’s scope and thus, inappropriate.
Even as the Democrats voted against the bills, they also voiced concerns about certain additional clauses. These included a provision to nullify in-state tuition benefits for undocumented immigrants who arrived in the country as children and the law compelling capital punishment for undocumented immigrants convicted of capital crimes.
Democrats unsuccessfully attempted to remove or mitigate these clauses by offering multiple amendments. However, their efforts were defeated by the Republicans, who hold two-thirds majority in both legislative bodies. Some Republicans expressed discontent regarding the clause that abrogates in-state tuition for nearly 6,500 immigrant students who entered the country unlawfully.
Often referred to as ‘Dreamers’, these young immigrants were brought to the United States as children and do not possess official legal status. The term stems from the DREAM Act – a bill that aimed to offer these individuals a path to citizenship but was never passed into law. The designation ‘Dreamers’ however, has been enduring.
However, some view recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) as immigrants who unlawfully entered the country and therefore, should not be granted any clemency. The legislation was passed mostly by Republicans, with Democrats mostly opposing. A noteworthy exception emerged – a single dissenter among the Republicans who voted against bill SB 4C due to its universal death penalty clause.