Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an sweeping immigration bill sent by the Florida legislature Wednesday, decrying what he is calling the "Biden border crisis."
DeSantis signed the bill at the Miller Electric Company in Jacksonville, after the GOP-controlled House gave the proposal final passage on a party-line vote last week.
DeSantis criticized President Biden's inaction on the border situation, saying he has not visited the border in his entire time in office, unlike his own January visit to El Paso in the southern border.
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The 43-page bill, known as SB-1718, includes provisions to invalidate driver's licenses and identification cards issued by other states to "unauthorized immigrants."
It also establishes requirements for hospitals to collect information about the immigration status of patients and submit it to the state.
The bill has been met with criticism. Immigration advocates and other groups have strongly condemned it, and some even calling the bill “racist” and threatened to challenge it in court.
During the press conference, the governor noted that it is already illegal for employers to hire undocumented people, but said the bill's new requirements, particularly the E-Verify system, will help strengthen enforcement of these laws.
The bill also creates a "National Security Oversight Council," made up of various state officials and law enforcement, which is intended to provide direction and leadership in efforts related to the prevention, preparedness, protection, response, and recovery of terrorist incidents, as well as immigration enforcement.
GOV. RON DESANTIS
Another aspect of the bill, HB-1718, eliminates the ability for people known as "Dreamers," who came to the country illegally as children, to practice law in the state of Florida, by removing language that allowed it in the State Statutes.
During the press conference, Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis spoke about the crimes committed by what he called "illegal aliens" and expressed his thanks to the governor and the Republican leadership in the legislature for turning the tragedy of cases like the of Pinellas County Deputy Sheriff Michael Hartwick in concrete actions.
In short, what are the provisions of the immigration law?
- The law requires companies with more than 25 employees to use the E-verify program to determine their immigration status when hiring workers and establishes fines for violators.
- Requires hospitals that accept public insurance Medicaid and emergency departments to collect data on the immigration status of patients.
- Makes transporting people to the state of Florida without immigration status a crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
- Prohibits funding city and county programs to provide identification cards to migrants without regulated immigration status.
- Eliminates tuition fee waivers for undocumented immigrant students.
- Repeals the law that allows lawyers who are still regulating their immigration status to practice law.
- Requires law enforcement agencies to collect DNA samples from people who do not possess regulated immigration status and are detained under a federal detainer request.
- Allocates $12 million for the transfer of immigrants to other states of the country.
