On Thursday, February 23, 2023, Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida proposed a series of legislative changes that could have major implications for undocumented immigrants living in the state.[0] DeSantis’ proposals, which come as he prepares for a possible 2024 bid for the White House, would require employers to use the E-Verify system, a federal database that allows employers to check workers’ employment status; impose penalties for human smuggling; strengthen statutes for the detention of illegal aliens; enhance penalties for document falsification; prohibit the issuance by local governments of ID cards to people who are not lawfully in the country; and eliminate out-of-state tuition waivers for undocumented immigrant students.
DeSantis has also proposed a bill that would make it a third-degree felony to “transport, conceal, or harbor illegal aliens,” and a second-degree felony if the person being transported is a minor.[1] The proposal is a major reversal from the stance taken by his predecessor, Governor Rick Scott, who signed a bill in 2014 giving undocumented immigrants the right to pay in-state tuition rates at universities.[2]
DeSantis has been harshly critical of President Joe Biden’s border policies, and said that his proposals were in response to the “increasing threats posed by illegal immigration as a result of the Biden administration’s failure to secure our nation’s borders.”[3] Last week, the governor signed a controversial bill which would result in the state transporting migrants to “sanctuary” areas of the country. This bill was passed during a special legislative session, and came after the DeSantis administration sparked a controversy — and legal challenges — by transporting about 50 migrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts in September.[4]
The proposals have been met with opposition from a number of groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union and the Florida Immigrant Coalition, which argue that they would create a hostile environment for undocumented immigrants and restrict their opportunities.
Regardless of the outcome of the proposals, it is clear that DeSantis’ immigration policies will have a major impact on the state of Florida.
0. “DeSantis wants new restrictions on undocumented students and workers” Business Insider, 23 Feb. 2023, https://www.businessinsider.com/desantis-wants-new-restrictions-on-undocumented-immigrants-in-florida-2023-2
1. “Governor Proposes Legislation to Require All Florida Employers to Use E-Verify” WQCS, 23 Feb. 2023, https://www.wqcs.org/wqcs-news/2023-02-23/governor-proposes-legislation-to
2. “Gov. DeSantis’ anti-illegal immigration push includes repeal of tuition law backed by Jeanette Nuñez” Florida Politics, 23 Feb. 2023, https://floridapolitics.com/archives/590472-gov-desantis-anti-illegal-immigration-push-includes-repeal-of-tuition-law-backed-by-jeanette-nunez/
3. “DeSantis Refuels Immigration Debate for March Legislative Session | Daily Business Review” Law.com, 24 Feb. 2023, https://www.law.com/dailybusinessreview/2023/02/24/desantis-refuels-immigration-debate-for-march-legislative-session/
4. “DeSantis’s migrant worker relocation plan cleared for takeoff as lawsuit gets grounded” The Capitolist, 23 Feb. 2023, https://thecapitolist.com/desantiss-migrant-worker-relocation-plan-cleared-for-takeoff-as-lawsuit-gets-grounded
