Gov. DeSantis calls Special Session to crack down on illegal immigration

Ron DeSantis

Gov. Ron DeSantis has called a Special Session starting Jan. 27 to take up legislation cracking down on illegal immigration.

The Republican Governor said he wants policies in place quickly once when President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20. Trump ran on a hard-line immigration platform and has promised mass deportations quickly once he takes office.

“We are going to see a sea change in policies, particularly with respect to the border and illegal immigration,” DeSantis said.

“This is an issue that has been festering in this country for many, many decades. Although the first Trump administration was much more successful than others have been, this is the time to get it right once and for all. And so the state of Florida stands ready, willing and able to be able to help facilitate these policies that will benefit Floridians and benefit the American people.”

DeSantis was among several Governors to meet with Trump at an event last week in Mar-a-Lago. The Governor said he committed to supporting the incoming President’s immigration policies.

“My guys are in contact with some of their staff, so we’ll tailor what we’re doing to mirror what their policies are going to be,” DeSantis said.

After years of fighting President Joe Biden’s administration on immigration, DeSantis expects the Trump administration to empower states to enforce deportation policies.

“There’s going to be some ambitious policy changes that are going to be instituted on Day 1, particularly with respect to illegal immigration and major, major executive orders that are going to unwind the bad policies of the Biden administration, but then also provide a level of empowerment for states and local governments to help facilitate the policies against illegal immigration,” DeSantis said.

DeSantis noted that in his first year as Governor, he signed a ban on sanctuary cities with legislation that required local governments to work with the feds to enforce immigration laws.

Now, DeSantis said he wants to go a step further and require law enforcement throughout Florida to participate in a federal policy, under Section 287(g) of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act, to actively enforce immigration law.

“The federal government has the responsibility to do this, and in order for them to be successful, I do think it’s going to require cooperation from state and local,” DeSantis said. “I don’t need legislation for the state. I’m just going to tell them to do it. Some of the funding, we may need. But honestly, I don’t even know that we need that much funding from the state.”

But DeSantis said he won’t issue an unfunded mandate and wants the Legislature to approve state support to ensure agencies have the necessary resources to step up enforcement.

The Governor signaled he could suspend any Sheriffs or State Attorneys who refuse to enforce the law.

“If those duties are clear in law, I have the authority, with respect to certain officials, to suspend them from their office if they are neglecting their duties, and that’s it,” he said. “That’s an authority that I have invoked when it’s been appropriate in the past.”

DeSantis also said he wants the Legislature to repeal a law allowing in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants. That notably would reverse a policy signed by now-U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, a former Governor, and which was championed 10 years ago by then-state Rep. Jeanette Nuñez, now DeSantis’ Lieutenant Governor.

State Sen. Randy Fine, a Palm Bay Republican, had filed a bill on repealing in-state tuition for the regular Legislative Session. After the Special Session announcement, he said he will refiled the bill for consideration then.

“Governor DeSantis and I have had our differences, but one thing we have both wanted to do for years is end the $45 million in handouts for illegal immigrants that attend our world-renowned colleges and universities,” Fine said.

“I am excited that as I prepare to leave the Legislature for Congress, we will be able to work together to get this done. It is immoral that Americans from the other 49 states pay more to attend Florida’s colleges and universities than illegal immigrants. And it is appalling that we ask Floridians to pay $45 million a year to facilitate it.”

While DeSantis said the Special Session will focus on illegal immigration, he also said he wants to see reforms on legal immigration like the H-1B program or chain migration. But he said the Special Session will focus on illegal immigration.

“I know that there’s a lot of rank-and-file members of both the House and Senate that are chomping at the bit to be able to weigh in and make sure that Florida is leading the way in the states to help the incoming Trump administration accomplish their objectives,” DeSantis said.