Florida Senate passes immigration package, raising concerns among Dems

The Florida Senate has recently approved an immigration package, raising concerns among Democrats about racial profiling, while supporters argue that it seeks to address the issue of migration “invasion” and pressure the federal government to take action.

This bill, which is one of Governor Ron DeSantis’s top priorities for the legislative session, would allocate $12 million to fund an “Unauthorized Alien Transport” program, according to Dallas Press News.

Over the past few years, Florida’s legislature, led by Governor DeSantis, has implemented various measures to tackle illegal immigration, such as the 2019 law prohibiting so-called sanctuary cities. Recently, a federal appeals court rejected a constitutional challenge to this law, which has been widely supported by Republicans.

The Senate bill, SB 1718, includes provisions requiring companies with over 25 employees to use the E-Verify system to verify the immigration status of workers, imposing harsher sanctions on businesses that hire undocumented immigrants, empowering state law enforcement officers to conduct random compliance checks, and increasing penalties for human smuggling.

However, some aspects of the bill have raised concerns among legislators, such as the proposal to require medical centers to track how much they spend when treating undocumented individuals in emergency rooms. Democrat Senator Jason Pizzo has warned that such a requirement could deter undocumented rape victims from seeking medical help.

To legitimize the measure, it would prohibit local governments from providing funding to organizations that aim to offer identification to undocumented immigrants. The bill also highlights that no driver’s licenses issued to undocumented migrants through other states would be recognized by Florida.

Furthermore, the legislation would transform a human-smuggling law, making it a felony for anyone knowingly entering Florida with an individual who has entered the United States illegally. However, critics of the proposal argue that this could lead to the arrest of individuals who travel across accompanying family members or friends who are undocumented immigrants.

While Democrats argue that the bill targets minorities for profiling, Republicans claim that their intention is to force the Federal government to have a more active role in addressing the current immigration crisis. They assert that in the past two years, over five million people have attempted to enter the country illegally through the southern border, and federal officials currently have 660,000 migrants waiting in line for processing.

On the other hand, Democrats argue that immigration issues should be addressed at the national level, rather than being subject to state regulations. Nonetheless, the bill’s sponsor, State Senator Blaise Ingoglia, believes that this legislation will compel the federal government to recognize the severity of the country’s immigration problem.

The Senate passed the bill with a 27-10 vote, with Republicans in favor and Democrats against. However, critics, including a local pastor, have expressed concern that the bill will make life more difficult for undocumented immigrants and their neighbors.

In summary, Florida’s new immigration package aims to tackle illegal immigration, but its provisions have sparked concerns among some legislators about racial profiling, potential infringement of individual rights, and a state-level approach to a national problem. As an experienced writer and news editor, it is crucial to maintain impartiality while conveying the facts creatively and descriptively.