Controversial immigration mensurate heads to Gov. DeSantis

Delivering on one of Gov. Ron DeSantis' top legislative priorities, the Florida House on Wednesday passed an immigration nib targeting transportation companies that bring undocumented immigrants into the land and expanding a 2019 law that sought to ban so-called "sanctuary cities."

The bill (SB 1808), among the 2022 legislative session'southward most-contentious bug, would prohibit state and local government agencies from contracting with companies "if the carrier is willfully providing whatsoever service in furtherance of transporting a person into the state of Florida knowing that the person is an unauthorized alien, except to facilitate the detention, removal or deportation of the person" from the state or the U.South.

The measure also would define unauthorized alien equally "a person who is unlawfully nowadays in the Usa" co-ordinate to the Federal Immigration and Nationality Human activity.

Critics of the nib, which the Senate approved last week, maintain that it poses a threat to thousands of migrants in the country whose temporary visas have expired or whose applications for aviary already are in the pipeline.

DeSantis has repeatedly criticized the Biden administration on immigration issues during the past year and has taken steps such as sending Florida constabulary-enforcement officers to Texas to aid with border issues.

During debate on the House floor Wednesday, Republicans railed against so-called "ghost flights" bringing undocumented immigrants into the land and repeatedly expressed support for migrants who enter the state in what they called "the right way."

Rep. Webster Barnaby, a Deltona Republican who emigrated from England, said he waited eleven years earlier his U.S. citizenship was finalized.

"What we accept happening today in the United states of america … is zip short of an invasion," Barnaby said. "I didn't come to America to invade America. I came to America in the right fashion. And it'southward absolutely amazing to me to see that a state wants to implode and destroy itself not from exterior but from within."

The proposal coincides with an administrative try by DeSantis to shutter shelters that provide housing and other services to unaccompanied children whose immigration or refugee condition is being processed after they enter the country.

Democrats argued Wednesday that the legislation targets people fleeing from countries overrun with violence and poverty, including unaccompanied minors. They accused Republican legislators, who hold pregnant majorities in both the Firm and Senate, of using the bill to score points with right-leaning GOP voters.

"This is another case of political rhetoric and campaigns that's created into a bill," Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, said. "This entire bill is a façade being used to heave up campaign coffers in 2022 and 2024, because I know the second this bill is signed by the governor, in that location'll be a fundraising email coming out right after."

The governor, widely seen every bit a potential contender for president in 2024, boasted nigh the pecker during an appearance last month at the Bourgeois Political Activity Conference in Orlando.

But in a alphabetic character to legislative leaders concluding calendar week, organizations representing Florida'due south Venezuelan-American customs decried the bill, arguing that it would put thousands of workers at chance of displacement.

"Every time nosotros pass another bill similar this, it sends a bulletin to those families, and mine as well, that they're not welcome here anymore. Information technology fries abroad at the soul, bit past bit, and somewhen will alter the character of who we are as a nation," said Rep. Susan Valdés, a Tampa Democrat whose parents emigrated from Cuba.

Republicans argued that undocumented immigrants entering the state on so-called "ghost" flights pose a threat to Floridians' safety.

"They become into offense. They start driving vehicles drunk," Rep. Melony Bell, R-Fort Meade, said. "Why should we penalize people that are trying to exercise information technology the right way. … Have them come over legal, have them become American citizens so they can be productive citizens."

Merely Firm Minority Co-Leader Evan Jenne disputed Bell'south comments.

"The anecdotal information you only heard is apparently fake. Information technology is anecdotal and in no way scientifically relevant or statistically relevant to the argue at hand," Jenne, D-Dania Beach, said, pointing to a long-term study released last year showing that U.South. citizens in Texas were twice equally likely to be arrested for violent felonies over almost a decade. "If we're going to say things on this floor, we demand to exist certain that they are factual and non opinion."

Rep. Kevin Chambliss, D-Homestead, warned that the bill would lead to an increase in human trafficking and people entering the country through the "black market."

"Shame on us. The blood is on our easily because nosotros're the ones that are trying to keep the door closed on the American dream. And if we look at our beginnings, half of our ancestors who weren't brought in on slave ships, they didn't come here legally, either. They came hither by whatever means necessary. When they got hither, they tried as hard as they could to piece of work, to contribute to guild, to brand their family unit take a positive life … fifty-fifty if it means that they would get caught coming hither illegally," he argued.

Only Rep. Ralph Massulo, R-Lecanto, said lawmakers have a duty to protect citizens.

"By any means necessary? You lot're kidding me. If I need coin, I'm gonna go rob a bank, by whatsoever means necessary. If I don't similar someone, I can have them taken out by any ways necessary. That'south not America," he said.

Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith, D-Orlando, contended that statement is based on a faulty premise.

"The midnight flights in the dead of night, they're not illegal. They're not hole-and-corner. There's nothing scary almost them. There's no invasion," Smith said. "This bill seeks to block legal transportation of children and other immigrants in Florida every bit function of a coordinated endeavour by DeSantis to expel children and immigrant families seeking asylum from coming to Florida."

Bill sponsor John Snyder, R-Stuart, accused Democrats of "political theater" in their debate on the measure.

"Nosotros simply cannot allow people to pour into the United states of america undetected, undocumented, unchecked, circumventing the line of people who were waiting patiently, diligently and lawfully to get immigrants in this country. It's OK for Barack Obama to say, but the moment that Gov. Ron DeSantis highlights the invasion that happens in the state of Florida, now nosotros're being called xenophobic," he said.

Immigration attorney Renata Castro said "the state of Florida is trying to force out of authorities contract entities who, which house or transport undocumented aliens."

But Jonathan Martin with the Lee County Republicans had a different respond.

"The heart of the nib is a reaction from our country leaders at the disaster that the federal government has created for states around the state of our immigration problems," Martin said. "We welcome everybody to the country of Florida, but you got to have the requirements live hither that simply the federal government tin grant and they're refusing to do it."

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