DeSantis & Company Push Stricter Illegal Immigration Legislation

The Florida Legislature is considering a pack of proposals that would impose a stricter set of illegal immigration laws across the state. In response to the immigration crisis across the country, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and his fellow representatives are considering legislation that would protect the state from the economic threat that an influx of illegal aliens potentially imposes to the tax-paying citizens of the state. While illegal immigration continues to sky-rocket, the Florida Legislature plans to implement these laws to combat the smuggling of illegal aliens, crack down on municipalities that illegally issue ID cards, and ensure employers are hiring American citizens or legal immigrants.

These proposals in no way threaten foreign immigrants who are here legally. “There’s a right way and a wrong way to come here,” said state Sen. Debbie Mayfield (R-District 19). “We have a process in this country.”

More details about the legislation will emerge as state representatives continue to view the proposals. At an early look, democrats seem to oppose the legislation, with outlets like MSNBC publishing the headline, “Ron DeSantis Pursues a New Era of Cruelty for Undocumented Citizens.” Critics have expressed concerns about racial profiling and warn that laws that enforce punishment on law breakers threaten inclusive progress that has been made over the past 10 years.

It is, however, worth noting that the lenience on illegal immigration from Republican politicians over the last decade is not necessarily reflective of their constituents. According to a Pew Research Center study last year, a vast majority of registered republicans believe in stricter immigration policy across the board. When you consider this study, it would appear some Republican lawmakers have been passing lax immigrant legislation on their own accord, or on their donors’ accord. In 2014, Republican Governor (and current U.S. Senator) Rick Scott enacted the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA) which was an Obama-era piece of legislation that deferred the deportation of minors, and offered benefits like in-state tuition, state-funded educational grants, and state-subsidized healthcare. The program was renewable every two years and did not provide a pathway to legal citizenship. The program has gone back and forth from an implementation standpoint, as it’s been pointed out that the legislation was unlawfully passed in 2012 by President Obama.

It is also worth noting that Obama attempted to expand this program to additional undocumented citizens, but multiple states sued, and the initiative was eventually blocked by The Supreme Court. This is, of course, the major concern with progressive legislation. It typically starts with a noble explanation but turns out to be a trojan horse for bad ideas with the intent to poison current systems and structures.

It appears that Florida could be taking a step in the right direction as representatives fight to protect tax-payer funds and jobs across the state. We’ll keep an eye on these proposals and take a closer look at the details as time continues.