Thinking of migrating to the US? Florida seeks to be the most anti-immigrant state

The largest and strongest illegal immigration bill ever introduced by a state. This is how its promoters define the proposals that they brought to the Florida Legislative Assembly last week to toughen the rules against undocumented immigrants and that has the full support of the governor, Republican Ron DeSantis.

(Also: US: Florida seeks to legalize the purchase of long guns at 18)

The proposal presented in the Florida Legislature prohibits the use of valid licenses from other states in the hands of undocumented immigrants, obliges hospitals to collect information on the immigration status of patients and criminalizes the transportation of undocumented immigrants.

Senator Blaise Ingoglia and Congressman Kiyan Michael, both Republicans, introduced the bills SB 1718 and HB 1617, with those who seek to carry out a series of anti-immigrant proposals by DeSantis, the SPLC Action Fund, an organization that watches over human rights and is affiliated with the Southern Poverty Law Center, a progressive NGO in defense of civil rights, said in a statement. .

(Also: ‘I’m the only one who can prevent World War III’: Donald Trump)

According to the composition of the Legislative Assembly, both initiatives are expected to be approved because the control of both chambers is held by the Republicans.

But what do the proposals say? Both standards seek “severely restrict” the movement of undocumented immigrants in Florida.

The proposals in detail

What happens if the bill passes?

If approved, it will be prohibited that the undocumented use valid identification that has been issued by jurisdictions in Florida or other states. The transfer of foreigners without papers will also be vetoed.

While hospitals must report the care of undocumented foreigners.

(Read: Under 3 years causes a domestic incident by firing a weapon)

Likewise, it threatens cancel the operating licenses of employers who hire undocumented workers without having complied with the requirements of the federal E-Verify program, which is a system administered by the United States Department of Homeland Security for employer companies whose use is not mandatory.

The proposal also revokes the possibility of certain undocumented law students being admitted to the Florida Bar, and removes protections for crime victims.

Up to jail terms

“These bills would further harm Floridians by creating a surveillance state, eroding public safety, increase racial discrimination and destroy public trust in our communities,” said AJ Hernandez Anderson, lead supervising attorney for the SPLC Action Fund.

“Our family, friends, and neighbors will be at risk of being charged with a felony for going about their daily lives, like transporting a neighborhood kid to soccer practice or having a lawyer take their client to immigration court. . If approved, this law would deprive Floridians of the freedom to move freely around the state”, he added.

(We recommend: USA: Biden approves controversial oil extraction project in Alaska)

For his part, Ángel Leal, an immigration lawyer who practices in Miami, told Univisión that “the plan allows the state to interfere in the immigration issue in such a way that It’s going to scare the immigrant communitymany of them in valid immigration processes.”

The proposal “incorporates so many things that it upsets and scares the community, among other things, for the mere fact of transporting or harboring an undocumented immigrant. It lists this act as a third degree felony, which carries a 5 year jail term. And if the transported person is a minor, up to 15 years in jail”, he adds.

(Keep reading: Biden calls Florida’s policy on trans minors ‘shameful’)

Univisión emphasizes that neither the previous announcements nor the projects sent to the Legislative Assembly clear up doubts as to how the police will determine when to stop a vehicle, based on what justify a reasonable cause to make a determination or how to demonstrate reasonable suspicion to make a lawful arrest.

“The lack of clarity creates a kind of racial profiling that it is illegal… And if there is racial profiling then there is no longer probable cause. There is a lot of fear in the community”, emphasizes Leal.

Last week, in a speech in Tallahassee to kick off the legislative session, Governor Ron DeSantis said that “We must further strengthen our laws against illegal immigration improving employment verification, increasing penalties for people smuggling, and further discouraging illegal migration to the state of Florida,” the governor said.

“Florida is not a sanctuary state and we will defend the rule of law,” he asserted.

against the dreamers

In the Florida Legislature there is also a dreamer tuition billyoung people who came to the United States as children undocumented and who are covered by DACA, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.

(You may be interested in: The crisis that triggered the collapse of the Silicon Valley Bank in the United States)

If the norm promoted by Desantis is approved, the dreamers will have to pay college tuition at the same price as residents of the state of Florida.

It should be noted that in 2014, Republican Governor Rick Scott promulgated a regulation on differentiated state fees for Dreamers in order to complete their university studies.

THE COMMERCE (PERU) / GDA

* Grupo de Diarios América (GDA), to which EL TIEMPO belongs, is a leading media network founded in 1991, which promotes democratic values, the independent press and freedom of expression in Latin America through quality journalism for our hearings.