Governor Ron DeSantis released immigration proposals for the Florida Legislature’s upcoming special session.
The Governor said the proposed actions will position Florida to quickly carry out President Donald Trump’s mandate to combat illegal immigration.
“Florida is ready to lead,” said Republican Governor Ron DeSantis. “With President Trump taking office, Florida has a unique opportunity to help facilitate the end to America’s immigration crisis.”
The proposed legislation for the upcoming special session includes:
- Mandate maximum participation in the 287(g) deportation program, with penalties for non-compliance, including suspension of officials;
- Establish a state crime for entering the U.S. illegally and a process for self-deportation;
- Appoint a dedicated officer to oversee coordination with federal authorities and the Unauthorized Alien Transport Program (UATP);
- Expand UATP to detain and facilitate the deportation of illegal aliens from the U.S.;
- Broaden the legal definition of gang-related activities to include more groups of dangerous illegal aliens;
- Repeal in-state college tuition for illegal immigrant students;
- Require voter registration affirmation of U.S. citizenship and Florida residency;
- Increase penalties for unauthorized aliens committing voter fraud or providing false voter registration information;
- Mandate identity verification for foreign remittance transfers; and
- Create a rebuttable presumption that illegal aliens are flight risks and deny bail.
The Governor also released this one-pager for his special session immigration priorities:
Governor Ron DeSantis called for a special session of the Florida Legislature to convene on January 27th, 2025. However, Republicans in the legislature pushed back and called a special session “premature.”
