Florida’s new DeSantis-backed laws cover immigration, guns and more
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Employers who illegally employ immigrants in the country will face stiff penalties and gun owners will have more freedoms when more than 200 new Florida laws go into effect Saturday, many of which Governor Ron DeSantis will highlight as he seeks the Republican presidential nomination.
DeSantis has taken a tough stance against illegal immigration during his campaign, saying he will finish the Mexican border wall that his former supporter, Donald Trump, promised to build. He has also performed political gimmicks such as flying immigrants from texas to blue statessupposedly before they can get to Florida.
The new employer sanctions are a chance for DeSantis to show that not only is he talking tough about illegal immigration, but that he has enacted the toughest state law in the country, some critics say. DeSantis has largely mirrored Trump’s border policies, whose endorsement brought DeSantis to the governor’s office in 2018. DeSantis is now the former president’s main competitor for the White House.
The new law expands employee verification requirements, among other provisions. The governor’s office blames the Biden administration for what it says is a crisis on the southern border.
“Any company that exploits this crisis by employing illegal aliens instead of Floridians will be held accountable,” DeSantis spokesman Jeremy Redfern said.
But in a state where its largest industries — tourism, agriculture and construction — rely heavily on migrant workers, there are fears the economy could be disrupted when employers are already struggling to fill open positions. Florida’s unemployment rate is 2.6%.
Samuel Vilchez Santiago, the director of the American Business Immigration Coalition in Florida, said there are 400,000 “undocumented immigrants” working in the state and far fewer applicants than jobs.
“We urgently need workers,” especially in construction, services and agriculture, he said. “So there’s a lot of fear from across the state … that this new law is going to be really devastating.”
The law forces any business with 25 or more employees to use E-Verify to document whether new hires are eligible to work or face business license charges or fines of $1,000 per day per employee.
The law also forces hospitals that accept Medicaid to ask patients whether they are citizens or legal residents of the United States and invalidates driver’s licenses issued by other states to people illegally residing in the country.
Protesters have gathered around the state. Dozens of people waved signs and Mexican, Cuban and American flags in front of the historic Capitol on Friday. Rubith Sandoval, 15, helped organize the protest. Her family moved from Mexico and now owns a farm in Quincy.
“We work hard on the land. We’ll pick tomatoes, we’ll pick strawberries, we’ll pick watermelons, oranges, and who’s going to do that?’ Sandoval said. “My parents have documents now, but they still haven’t forgotten what it was like to have no documents.”
Republicans have supermajorities in the House and Senate, and only one Republican opposed the legislation. Given DeSantis’ power and reputation for vindictiveness, there was little vocal opposition to the new immigration policy among GOP elected officials. But that doesn’t mean all Republicans support it either
Independently elected Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, a Republican, said illegal immigration is a federal problem.
“Our state solutions are limited, not particularly effective, and have unintended consequences,” Simpson said in an email. “I think the legislature’s work to address illegal immigration is necessary, whether it is effective remains to be seen.”
DeSantis will also be able to tout expanded gun rights under a new law that allows anyone who can legally own a gun to carry it hidden in public without a permit. While concealed weapon permits will still be issued, those who choose to carry without a permit will not be subject to background checks or training.
The law does not ease background checks on gun sales that already require one. Another new law prohibits credit card companies from tracking gun and ammunition sales to prevent them from potentially using the data to flag people who make big purchases.
Florida has also banned colleges from using state or federal funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion programs consistent DeSantis targetand schools will be prohibited from requiring teachers and students to use pronouns that match one’s gender identity.
As of Saturday, Chinese citizens will not be allowed to buy real estate in large parts of the state. A new law applies to property within 10 miles of military installations and other “critical infrastructure” and also affects citizens of Cuba, Venezuela, Syria, Iran, Russia and North Korea. But Chinese citizens and those selling real estate to them face the harshest penalties.
The American Civil Liberties Union is suing federal court to stop the law, but a judge won’t consider an injunction until nearly three weeks after it goes into effect. The U.S. Department of Justice has sent the court a letter saying it believes the law is unconstitutional.
“DOJ weighed in because Florida law is blatantly unconstitutional and in violation of the Fair Housing Act. Their briefing underscores how egregious “the law is,” ACLU attorney Ashley Gorski said in an emailed statement.
DeSantis defended the law using his campaign Twitter account, saying President Joe Biden and Attorney General Merrick Garland are siding with the Chinese Communist Party.
“I side with the American people,” the tweet read. “As governor, I banned CCP-affiliated entities from buying land in Florida. As president, I will do the same.”
A new law that Democrats and Republicans unanimously agreed on is a sales tax exemption for baby and toddler products, including diapers, strollers, cribs and clothing. The tax package also includes exemptions for dental hygiene products and gun safety devices, such as trigger locks.
