Flashback: Lawmakers stress importance of cracking down on illegal immigration amid crisis

By Amber Jo Cooper

Published Jun. 9, 2023, 11:49 a.m. ET | Updated Jun. 9, 2023

Florida Capitol.
Florida Capitol.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FLV) – Gov. Ron DeSantis visited the border this week, just a month after approving an anti-illegal immigration bill carried by Republican lawmakers during the 2023 legislative session.

During his visit, DeSantis said the border crisis is not a problem that only affects border counties, but other areas across the U.S., including Florida, which he described as a “maritime border” state.

Florida personnel also remain on the ground at the border with Mexico in Texas, assisting in thousands of apprehensions and hundreds of arrests.

In May, DeSantis signed an anti-illegal immigration bill, mandating E-Verify, adding money for migrant transports and increasing penalties for human smuggling.

DeSantis also signed an illegal immigration bill from a special session in February, allowing $10 million to create the “Unauthorized Alien Transport Program” within the Division of Emergency Management.

Republicans defended the bills and called out the Biden administration for the influx of migrants entering the U.S.

“When they stand up and say that they don’t have a border crisis. That is wrong,” Sen. Debbie Mayfield, R-Melbourne, said.

“You look at the pictures, and you look at the people that live on the borders, and you talk about people coming on their property, they’re destroying their property, they’re breaking into their property, there was families that have been shot, the one couple, that husband was beat up,” Mayfield explained.

“We may not have that in Florida right now. But that is the attention that is needed to get the federal government to understand we have a problem in our country and this bill is part of what that is bringing the attention to the federal government that we have a problem,” she said.

Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, R-Spring Hill, said it’s time for Florida to “step up” and tell the government to fix the problem.

“We can no longer turn a blind eye to what’s happening. It is time for us, the state of Florida, to step up and tell the federal government to fix this problem, because we are no longer standing for it,” Ingoglia said.

Rep. Berny Jacques, R-Seminole, said the bill is not “anti-immigrant.”

“You will not stand for it to hear people say that this bill is somehow anti immigrant. It is not because I’ve lived that life. I’ve lived that experience. This bill is anti-illegal immigration,” Jacques said.

Rep. Kiyan Michael, R-Jacksonville, thanked DeSantis for cracking down on illegal immigration.

“There are people who are taking advantage of weak leadership out of Washington, D.C. And our governor, God bless him for standing up and protecting Floridians,” Michael said.

The new law makes changes to E-Verify, adds more money for an illegal immigration transportation program and increases penalties for human smuggling.

It includes $12 million from the general fund for an illegal immigration program that DeSantis used to send migrants to Martha’s Vineyard last year.

Under current law, E-Verify is only mandated for public employers and their contractors. The law changes the requirement to mandate employers with more than 25 employees use E-Verify. Those with less than 25 employees would need to use the current I-9 process.

If the Department of Economic Opportunity finds that an employer did not use the E-Verify system, then the company could face a fine of $1,000 per day until the situation is resolved.

The state wants to begin tracking how much in taxpayer dollars are spent on illegal immigrants in hospitals that accept Medicaid.

“The state has the right to know how much money is being spent on those who are not here lawfully,” Jacques said previously.

Patients would fill out an intake form asking whether they are legally in the U.S. The answer would not change their ability to receive hospital services.

Hospitals that accept Medicaid would need to provide data on the number of illegal immigrants receiving hospital services and the amount of taxpayer dollars that was spent.

“We can no longer turn a blind eye to what’s happening. It is time for us, the state of Florida to step up and tell the federal government to fix this problem, because we are no longer standing for it,” Ingoglia said.

The act would also repeal state law that allowed an unauthorized immigrant who was brought to the U.S. as a minor to practice law in Florida. The law would not affect the validity of any license to practice law before Nov. 1, 2028.

Rep. Susan L. Valdés, D-Tampa, who is the Democrats’ only Cuban-American legislator, said during session the bill is “cruel” and “without humanity.”

“The provisions of this bill go directly against the values of family and liberty. We as Americans must reject these attacks on communities who cannot make their voices heard,” Valdés said previously.

The law also prohibits local governments from providing identification cards to illegal immigrants.

On top of this, the legislation enhances human smuggling penalties for those smuggling a minor, more than five people, or when the defendant has a prior conviction for human smuggling.

The law outlines that someone who “knowingly and willfully” transports someone into the state that is here illegally commits a third degree felony.

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