Florida legislators, led by Republicans, have approved a controversial bill aimed at combating illegal immigration in the state. With 27 votes in favor and 10 against, the state senate said yes to the bill and sent it to the House, where it received 83 votes in favor and 36 against. With victories in both chambers, the Republicans sent the proposal to Governor DeSantis, who is expected to sign it into law.
DeSantis and the Florida legislature have approved a series of changes in recent years to curb the presence of immigrants who enter the country illegally. This time, the laws that will come into effect in the near future include the following measures:
• All companies with 25 or more employees will be required to use the federal E-Verify system to check the immigration status of workers.
• Increased criminal penalties for those transporting immigrants without legal status in Florida. Although the bill indicates that the changes aim to curb human smuggling, opponents have raised the possibility that family members and groups like churches could be criminalized for transporting undocumented immigrants.
• Hospitals will be required to ask patients about their immigration status. A report must be sent to the government.
• Mandatory collection of DNA samples from individuals held in federal immigration detention.
• Provision of $12 million to the state’s Division of Emergency Management for the “Unauthorized Foreign Transport” program, for transporting immigrants without permanent legal status to other states.
• Driver’s licenses issued in other states to undocumented immigrants will not be accepted in Florida.
The Democrats have called the bill “cruel” and stated that the new laws will harm immigrants who, for example, may avoid seeking necessary medical care due to concerns about being questioned about their immigration status.
“Immigrants are not the enemy,” said Representative Dotie Joseph, D-North Miami. “Hatred is.”