The most interesting thing about the battle between the governor and the legislature over illegal immigration is that neither of them wants to plague their jobs.
Ah, certainly, Gov. Ron DeSantis and Republican leaders in the House and Senate want to soak up the headlines by bending authority over important issues at Maga Base. They are the mean immigrants and are working on an arms race for showing that they are more loyal to Donald Trump on the issue of presidential signatures.
But if anyone thinks this fight is more than dancing for the audience, then they won’t look for more than a Republican lawmaker on the bill passed in the special session. Called the “Trump Act,” it imposes severe penalties on immigrants who already live illegally here, changing the enforcement power of Florida agricultural commissioners.
DeSantis got a cuckle for that obvious conflict of interest, likened the setup to a “fox protecting the chicken coop” and accused the bill of being weak enough to “put it into a state of de facto sanctuary.” That last bit deserves itself, as Florida was in a sanctuary state as far as I can remember.
Florida has the third largest population of illicit immigrants in the US state, according to a report by the Pew Research Center last year. Immigrants living in Florida differ illegally, with Pew having placed around a million or slightly less numbers over the past 20 years. Other sources have brought this figure from 600,000 to 1 million.
Importantly, these immigrants have been a permanent part of Florida’s economic and social landscape for decades. They pick the fruits and vegetables we eat, build houses and landscapes, make beds and cook the meals that drive tourism here. The industry, which relies on immigrant labour and fuel Florida’s economy, also funds political campaigns for governors and legislators. And for a long time they have turned their eyes to the immigrants in our middle.
Besides flying a handful of immigrants from Texas to Martha’s vineyards as part of his failed presidential bid stunt, what has DeSantis done over six years to change the status quo? Desantis signed the law in 2023, requiring that all large employers screen employees through E-Verify, a federal program that checks the legal eligibility of new workers. But since then, his administration has yet to cite a single employer for violating it. It issued warning letters to 40 companies in January only after being called out by Republican lawmakers last month. This is not the immigration enforcement, a priority in Florida or a critical feature of modern republicanism.
Laws are laws, but be honest about what that law enforces. Cleans up lush commercial farmland from St. Augustine to Homestead. We inspect a vast lot that overtakes Central Florida. We have begun a surprise visit to construction sites along the Gulf Coast, which has been devastated since last year’s hurricane.
Certainly, crackdowns on illegal labor could raise watermelon prices by $20. Homeowners will have a hard time finding roofers, painters and carpenters. And the recovery along the Gulf beaches stalled, hurting businesses from Redington Shores to Sarasota. But as always, they will find those elusive immigrants in large numbers as they work openly. Why can’t Republicans reach the point of this story when governance in Florida is not under control?
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Republican governors and Congress almost certainly will wrap around this year’s immigration package. This is the privilege of majority votes and the outcome of elections. But don’t spare us sanctuary and hypocrisy. For years, Florida has been turning a blind eye to border control as it helps us earn. If Tallahassee is finally breaking tradition, let’s make it clear what it has to do with it.
