Florida Passes HB 1718: New Law Aims to Toughen Measures Against Undocumented Immigrants and Their Transporters

MIAMI. – He bill HB 1718 approved by the Florida Congress toughens the measures against undocumented immigrants, and even for those who transport them. The legislation now only awaits Gov. Ron DeSantis’ signature to go into effect on July 1.

This legislation had strong Republican support in the state capitol, but it has raised alert voices that consider it one of the toughest immigration laws in the US.

Immigration lawyer Eduardo Soto points out that the law not only persecutes the undocumented but also affects legal residents and citizens. But what does the law propose, here is a summary of the main provisions:

THE KEYS OF THE LAW

– Requires companies with more than 25 employees to use the E-verify program to determine their immigration status when hiring workers and establishes fines for violators.

– Requires hospitals that accept public Medicaid and emergency departments to collect data on patients’ immigration status.

– Makes transporting people to the state of Florida without immigration status a crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

– Prohibits funding city and county programs to provide identification cards to migrants without regulated immigration status.

– Eliminates tuition fee waivers for undocumented immigrant students.

– Repeals the law that allows lawyers who are still regulating their immigration status to practice law.

– Requires law enforcement agencies to collect DNA samples from people who do not possess regulated immigration status and are detained under a federal detainer request.

– Allocates 12 million dollars for the transfer of immigrants to other states of the country.

WHAT COMES NOW

The approved bill must be in the office of the state governor, the Republican and possible presidential candidate Ron DeSantis, who is also a promoter of the measure. He is expected to announce the signing at any time.

According to the approved text, the law would enter into force on July 1.

DOUBTS AND CRITICISMS OF THE LEGISLATION

The law is classified as one of the toughest laws against migration in recent years by its critics and some of the provisions leave some doubts about how it would be applied.

The lawyer Soto believes that after its entry into force “there will be a lot of controversy, many lawsuits, many appeals.”

“This legislation seeks to create a false border between Florida and the rest of the United States. It is intended to criminalize people who are still going through the complicated immigration process and their families and friends who visit the state,” said the executive director of the Florida Immigrant Coalition, Tessa Petit.

Critics also point to the economic impact that the new law would have. Samuel Vilchez Santiago, Florida director of the American Business Immigration Coalition (ABIC), warned in a statement to EFE when the bill was in Congress that “it will severely exacerbate the acute labor shortage in Florida” and that will harm businesses. and to consumers.

IN FAVOR OF THE LAW

Randy Fine, one of the 83 Republicans who voted in favor of the law, said that the immigration problem cannot be solved from Florida, since that corresponds to Washington, but a message can be sent: “we are fed up,” he added.

DeSantis has referred to the immigration problem as a crisis generated by President Joe Biden’s “open borders” policy. “Florida is using all available tools to protect our citizens from Biden’s open border policies,” DeSantis said last February when it was approved to expand the program to transfer migrants arriving in Florida to other states.

One of the The bill’s sponsors called it during discussions the largest, most comprehensive, and strongest bill against “illegal immigration.” ever presented by a state government.

Senator Blaise Ingoglia and Congressman Kiyan Michael, both Republicans, introduced the bills, which ended with the legislation being passed.