In support of some of the Republican governor’s top priorities ahead of a hotly anticipated 2024 White House campaign, Florida’s legislature on Friday voted to increase Governor Ron DeSantis’ contentious effort to relocate migrants anywhere in the United States and strengthen his election police force.
The legislation was passed unanimously by the House of Representatives, which is controlled by Republicans. Both legislation will now be sent to DeSantis’ desk for his approval after passing the Republican-majority Senate on Wednesday.
At the insistence of DeSantis, who has gained national attention by inflaming conservative rage as he considers challenging former President Donald Trump for the Republican presidential nomination next year, state lawmakers are calling a special session to push multiple proposals.
DeSantis claimed he was reacting to the federal government’s failed immigration policy when he used taxpayer money to fly dozens of South American migrants from Texas to the affluent community of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, last year.
Because none of the migrants had ever been in Florida, the action, which Democrats and immigration rights activists condemned as a political gimmick, raised legal concerns. Democratic state senator Jason Pizzo has filed a lawsuit against DeSantis as an individual, alleging the governor mishandled government dollars.
DeSantis would expressly be permitted to transfer people from anywhere in the US under Friday’s immigration measure. Additionally, it states that money used for previous trips is “deemed approved,” which may aid the governor in fending off accusations of financial mismanagement.
Democrats claimed that the program employs vulnerable people as political props and cited claims that some of the refugees were mislead.
Representative Christopher Benjamin declared on the state House floor that “this bill is indefensible.” Stop tampering with people’s lives, I say.
Republicans claimed that the plan will assist migrants who willingly want to visit so-called sanctuary communities.
Rep. Juan Fernandez-Barquin claimed, “They’re going to get more benefits in a sanctuary state or city than they would here, and we’re just giving them a free ticket.”
A bill to bolster DeSantis’ election police squad, which was established last year in response to former President Donald Trump’s unfounded allegations that the 2020 election was rigged, was also adopted by Republican lawmakers.
In August, DeSantis announced the first 20 arrests made by the Office of Election Crimes and Security; however, several charges have been dropped because of inconsistencies in the law. The new bill specifically gives the statewide prosecutor the power to pursue such prosecutions in an effort to address this issue.
Republicans have argued that the law is necessary to maintain the credibility of elections. Democrats claimed that while being intended to solve a non-existent issue, the law would scare voters of color. Studies have demonstrated that voter fraud is incredibly uncommon in the United States.
DeSantis also pushed lawmakers to approve legislation on Friday that would give him control over Walt Disney World’s unique self-governing district. This was done as retaliation for the company’s opposition to a DeSantis-backed bill that would have prohibited the teaching of gender identity concepts to young children in schools. Its detractors refer to it as the “don’t speak gay” rule.
