(The Center Square) – The Florida Legislature responded Monday to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ call for a special session by gaveling out of his and convening its own.
Lawmakers will only take up an immigration-related bill and will not tackle the other issues called for in DeSantis’ proclamation, which included condominium regulations, electoral security reforms and modifying the state’s ballot initiative process.
DeSantis blasted the move in a video released on social media, calling it “antics” and called the lone bill “window dressing.”
DeSantis also said the bill would result in the state not providing meaningful assistance to federal deportation efforts, something House Speaker Daniel Perez and Senate President Ben Albritton disagreed with in a joint statement released to media.
“This is a blatant lie about the Florida law enforcement officers who are on the front lines protecting our communities from criminal illegal immigrants each and every day,” the statement said. “The fact is that the TRUMP Act is an expansion of existing requirements that a sheriff operating a county jail must enter into a written agreement with ICE to help identify and detain criminal illegal immigrants, including county jails not operated by sheriffs.
“Law enforcement is our partner, not our enemy. It’s no wonder the governor’s proposal included criminal penalties for law enforcement. His statement clearly suggests he doesn’t trust the boots on the ground, but we do.”
ICE is the acronym for U.S. Immigratin and Customs Enforcement.
Perez said in his opening remarks from the floor that the House would debate one bill, House Bill 1B (the corresponding Senate Bill 2B is identical), with three committees on Monday and put it to a possible vote before the chamber on Tuesday. The Miami Republican said he intends for lawmakers to end the special session after voting on the bill.
Legislative leaders say the Tackling and Reforming Unlawful Migration Policy Act, sponsored by Rep. Lawrence McClure, R-Dover, in the House and Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, in the Senate, will empower “law enforcement to work seamlessly with ICE in addressing illegal immigration.”
The bill will designate Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson as Florida’s chief immigration officer, who’ll be the central liaison between federal, state and local officials. The bill would appropriate $500 million to assist state and local law enforcement agencies help President Donald Trump’s administration with deportations.
The bill would also expand requirements passed in 2022 that a sheriff operating a county detention facility must enter into a written agreement with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to include jails that aren’t operated by a sheriff. It would also end in-state tuition for people living in or entering the country illegally.
DeSantis criticized the lone bill as not going far enough, weakens his proposals and does not ensure the state will fulfill the Trump administration mandate. He said the Department of Agriculture doesn’t oversee state law enforcement.
DeSantis said, “By giving enforcement power to the agricultural arm of state government, it ensures that enforcement never actually occurs. In short, it puts the fox in charge of the hen house.”
