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DeSantis Poised To Pass 'Toughest Immigration Crackdown in the Nation'

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R.) / Getty Images
April 11, 2023

Florida governor Ron DeSantis (R.) is expected to pass a sweeping immigration crackdown, with felony charges for facilitating illegal immigration.

DeSantis is proposing legislation criminalizing human smuggling and falsification of employment eligibility as felonies, with the New York Times calling the move the "toughest immigration crackdown in the nation." With Republican supermajorities in both chambers, the proposals are likely to become law.

"With this legislation, Florida is continuing to crack down on the smuggling of illegal aliens, stopping municipalities from issuing ID cards to people here illegally, and ensuring that employers are hiring American citizens or those here legally," DeSantis said in February.

The proposed legislation would make it a felony to smuggle an illegal alien or falsify employment eligibility records. It also requires voters to provide proof of U.S. citizenship and Florida residency.

Florida has an estimated 800,000 undocumented migrants.

In September, DeSantis sent migrants to liberal Martha’s Vineyard on planes, joining border states including Texas and Arizona in the effort to make Democratic "sanctuary cities" accountable for migrants.

"Martha's Vineyard residents should be thrilled about this. They vote for sanctuary cities," said a spokeswoman for DeSantis’s reelection campaign.

More than 5.5 million migrants have crossed the southern border since President Joe Biden took office, in what many Republicans—including DeSantis—have called "Biden’s Border Crisis."

Published under: Florida , Ron DeSantis