Governor Ron DeSantis’ implementation of a comprehensive immigration law on Saturday has had a significant impact on Florida’s illegal alien population.
“We have reports of people starting to leave,” Yvette Cruz, representing the Farmworkers Association of Florida, informed CBS News last week prior to the enactment of state Senate Bill 1718.
“As the law takes effect, we anticipate witnessing more departures,” she stated.
This legislation was signed into law by DeSantis on May 10, two weeks before he announced his presidential campaign.
“In the midst of the Biden Border Crisis, our nation has been thrown into chaos and put American citizens at risk,” he expressed in a statement at the time. “In Florida, we will not passively observe as the federal government neglects its legal responsibilities to protect our country.
“By signing the legislation today, Florida now possesses the most comprehensive anti-illegal immigration laws in the nation, pushing back against reckless federal policies and ensuring that Florida taxpayers are not burdened with the costs of illegal immigration.”
SB 1718 contains multiple provisions aimed at addressing illegal immigration. Transporting undocumented immigrants into Florida with knowledge of their immigration status can result in a felony charge. Out-of-state driver’s licenses issued to unauthorized immigrants are no longer valid in the state, according to ABC News.
The new law also expands worker verification requirements, as reported by WTVJ-TV. Companies with 25 or more employees must utilize E-Verify to verify the eligibility of new hires. Failure to comply could lead to license revocation and fines of $1,000 per day per employee.
“Any business that exploits this crisis by employing illegal aliens instead of hiring Floridians will face consequences,” stated DeSantis’ spokesman, Jeremy Redfern.
According to NBC News, one unauthorized immigrant, as a result of the law, plans to remain until they are required to leave the country and return to Mexico.
Certain employers are concerned about workforce shortages, according to The Wall Street Journal.
“The employees who used to work on the farms are no longer available,” stated Hitesh Kotecha, owner of a produce packaging facility. “How will we manage the farms?”
“We have observed some repercussions at job sites, particularly in relation to hourly labor, due to this new law,” explained Tom Murphy, co-president of Coastal Construction.
“While we fully support proper documentation of the immigrant workforce, the new law is exacerbating an already challenging situation,” he added.
During a recent press conference, DeSantis placed blame on those responsible for creating the issue of illegal immigration, making it clear that he included President Joe Biden and his administration in that category.
With a backdrop displaying the words “Biden’s Border Crisis,” the governor asserted, “Ultimately, we wouldn’t have an illegal immigration problem if there weren’t many individuals facilitating this within our country. And so, in Florida, that’s not a favorable position for you to be in.”
According to the Pew Research Center‘s estimate from 2019, Florida was home to approximately 775,000 illegal immigrants.
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Source: Becker News Rephrased By: InfoArmed