DeSantis immigration invoice accepted by Florida GOP lawmakers

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The Florida Legislature on Tuesday accepted a sweeping immigration invoice pushed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, bolstering the Republican’s controversial migrant-relocation program as he prepares to announce a presidential run.

The GOP-controlled House gave the proposal closing passage on a party-line vote with Republicans in help. It handed the Senate final week and now strikes to the governor’s workplace to be signed into legislation.

DeSantis, who is anticipated to launch his presidential candidacy within the coming weeks, has made immigration a high precedence and has espoused hard-right positions on undocumented immigration geared towards successful help amongst Republican main voters.

The invoice supplies $12 million for DeSantis‘ migrant relocation initiative, which drew national attention last year when the governor flew a group of South American migrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, a transfer supposed to protest federal immigration coverage.

The measure additionally expands necessities for companies with greater than 25 staffers to make use of E-Verify, a federal system that determines if staff can legally work within the U.S. It prohibits native governments from offering cash to organizations that subject identification playing cards to individuals illegally within the nation and invalidates out-of-state driver’s licenses held by undocumented immigrants.

Another provision would require hospitals that settle for Medicaid to incorporate a citizenship query on consumption kinds, which critics mentioned was supposed to dissuade undocumented immigrants from looking for medical care.

“This bill is politically driven, and it’s an anti-immigrant bill that will hurt and even kill undocumented immigrants,” mentioned Rep. Susan Valdes, a Democrat.

DeSantis framed the legislative package deal as a counter to Democratic President Joe Biden’s border coverage, beforehand saying “we won’t turn a blind eye to the dangers of Biden’s Border Crisis. We will continue to take steps to protect Floridians from reckless federal open-border policies.”

The governor’s Republican allies within the statehouse largely mirrored his rhetoric.

“We can’t solve the problem in Washington. But we can send a message that says in Florida, we’ve had enough,” mentioned Rep. Randy Fine, a Republican.

Republicans management a supermajority within the Florida Legislature and have centered on DeSantis priorities this session because the governor strikes to stack conservative coverage wins forward of his presidential marketing campaign announcement.