Ron DeSantis backs Fla. immigration crackdown before 2024 bid

Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is backing a bill that would implement some of the toughest restrictions in the country meant to counteract the flow of illegal immigration into the Sunshine State. Senate Bill 1718 would make it a felony to shelter, hire or transport illegal immigrants into or within Florida.

It would also require hospitals to ask patients their immigration status and report it to the state and direct law enforcement officers to provide assistance to federal authorities enforcing US immigration law. The far-reaching legislation would also invalidate out-of-state driver's licenses issued to illegal immigrants and prevent them from being admitted to the state bar. The bill is expected to pass the Florida Legislature - where Republican supermajorities control both chambers - within the next few weeks and be signed into law by DeSantis before his anticipated 2024 White House campaign kicks off[1].

"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 in February, when the bill was unveiled. DeSantis, 44, has argued that the sweeping legislation is necessary to "protect Floridians" from President Biden's lax approach to defending the southern border[2] from record numbers of migrants attempting to cross in recent years.

Ron DeSantisDeSantis is expected to announced his 2024 presidential candidacy after Florida's legislative session ends this summer.AP

"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," the governor said.

Separately, DeSantis has also proposed doing away with a law granting Florida students in the country illegally access to in-state college tuition - a measure that was backed and signed into law by former Gov. Rick Scott, now a Republican US senator. According to the New York Times[3], SB 1718 is the most ambitious state legislation aimed at cracking down on illegal immigration and beefing up penalties for violators since 2010, when Arizona passed a law that required police officers to ask people they stopped for proof of immigration status if they had a reason to suspect they might be in the country illegally.

immigrants in floridaHealthcare for illegal immigrants cost Florida roughly £313 million in the 2020-2021 fiscal year,AP

Florida is estimated to be home to nearly 800,000 illegal immigrants[4], according to the left-leaning Migration Policy Institute.

Healthcare for the undocumented population cost the state roughly £313 million in the 2020-2021 fiscal year, and DeSantis has warned that a growing population of illegal immigrants could lead to increased crime, threaten the availability of jobs, lower wages and burden Florida schools. In January, DeSantis declared a state of emergency and activated the state National Guard to combat ships transporting Cuban and Haitian migrants[5] to the Florida Keys. DeSantis controversially shipped two planeloads[6] of Venezuelan migrants from Texas to Martha's Vineyard last year in an attempt to push the burden brought by the influx of migrants onto so-called "sanctuary" jurisdictions.

"If you have folks that are inclined to think Florida is a good place, our message to them is that we are not a sanctuary state," DeSantis told reporters at the time.

immigrants on boat near FloridaAn estimated 800,000 illegal immigrants call the Sunshine State home.AP

"It's better to be able to go to a sanctuary jurisdiction, and yes, we will help facilitate that transport for you, to be able to go to greener pastures," he added.

DeSantis is expected to launch his run for the White House after the Florida legislative session ends May 5.

References

  1. ^ anticipated 2024 White House campaign kicks off (nypost.com)
  2. ^ lax approach to defending the southern border (nypost.com)
  3. ^ According to the New York Times (www.nytimes.com)
  4. ^ 800,000 illegal immigrants (www.migrationpolicy.org)
  5. ^ transporting Cuban and Haitian migrants (nypost.com)
  6. ^ controversially shipped two planeloads (nypost.com)

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