In a report published Monday (28) on the Florida Supreme Court’s website, a grand jury created by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to investigate immigration-related issues urged state lawmakers to create new restrictions on immigration – including a tax on all electronic money transfers abroad.
“We learned that, in fact, many Florida residents are (just as we were before starting this investigation) almost dangerously naive and unaware of the true magnitude and malevolence of the illegal immigration industry,” the report states. “What we discovered was, at various points, concerning, disturbing, depressing, and a cause for significant outrage.”
The grand jury suggested to lawmakers the imposition of additional restrictions on businesses, including the requirement that all employers verify the names of potential employees against a federal immigration database. DeSantis managed to get lawmakers to approve the use of E-Verify earlier this year, but it only applies to private companies with 25 or more employees.
The report also suggests what it describes as a “modest” fee charged to customers sending money to other countries, similar to that imposed by the state of Oklahoma. The grand jury claims that such a fee – which would likely require a majority vote in the Legislature to be approved – could generate tens of millions that could be used to bolster enforcement, invest in education, and help state agencies deal with unaccompanied immigrant children.
The grand jury, composed of residents from three Republican-leaning counties, has already issued five reports. The latest harshly criticized how the Biden administration handles immigration. They estimate that about 1 million of the nearly 23 million residents of Florida live illegally in the state.
Some Democrats and immigrant advocates expressed alarm at the tone of the report.
“Based on this report, we can expect more incendiary language and policies in the next legislative session directed at immigrants,” said State Representative Anna Eskamani in a social media post.
Source: Politico