Gabrielle Russon
Sweetwater Republican Rep. David Borrero argued Monday that cracking down on small businesses hiring undocumented workers will raise wages at construction and agricultural jobs for the rest of Floridans.
Borrero was one of the backers of a House bill mandating that employers with fewer than 25 employees use E-Verify to check employees’ legal work status.
The House Commerce Committee advanced HB 955 Monday with a 19-3 vote at its last Committee stop before it heads to the House floor.
“If you are opposed to this bill, then what you are saying is that you are OK creating an environment where people can break the law,” Borrero said during the debate.
His argument: Any worker shortage caused by the undocumented workers’ exodus would mean farmers, contractors and others will start paying “reasonable rates for the American people” to work those jobs.
But advocates and some Democrats voiced fears the bill will hurt Florida since undocumented workers — not criminals, just people trying to earn a living to support their families — are entwined in Florida’s economy and are working jobs most Americans don’t want.
Three Democrats joined Republicans in supporting the bill.
Rep. Kimberly Daniels, a Jacksonville Democrat, said union leaders approached her at Florida State University and voiced concerns about losing work. She did not provide details on the project besides the fact that it was at her alma mater.
“So I’m going to be up on this bill,” Daniels said while she also acknowledged “E-Verify is a bad word to a lot of people.”
Also in favor were Democrats Reps. Gallop Franklin II and Leonard Spencer, the only Florida Democrat elected in a state House district carried by President Donald Trump.
Florida already requires larger businesses with 25 or more employees to use the federal government’s system to check their workers’ legal work status.
“It’s a very strong bill,” Bill sponsor Rep. Berny Jacques said. “It builds upon what we’ve already done here in the state of Florida.”
The Seminole Republican said using the federal system was free, and employers are already required to collect their workers’ information as some representatives voiced concerns about the bill’s impact on small business owners.
4 comments
EARL PITTS AMERICAN
April 8, 2025 at 6:39 am
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April 8, 2025 at 10:45 am
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PeterH
April 8, 2025 at 6:42 am
E-Verify should be a requirement for every employer…. Every time ….. everywhere. E-verify should be required regardless of the number of people employed. Good grief!
LexT
April 8, 2025 at 9:15 am
Democrats…. Please wake up. Find the places where you agree and just agree. There really is nothing good about illegal immigration. It creates an underclass of second-class citizens who are afraid to go to the police and will work in conditions and for pay that normal Americans won’t. I don’t see how you are so blind to this. Obama wasn’t “for illegal immigration”. Pick your battles, and stop picking ones that just don’t make sense. Suppose we actually stop people coming into the country illegally. In that case, we can have an honest conversation about how to treat people already here or the proper amount of people to allow to immigrate legally each year. But nothing will happen so long as we don’t close the border.