Florida governor Ron DeSantis has signed a sweeping immigration bill into law, strengthening the state’s role in enforcing border policies and supporting President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration, reports the New York Post.
The move comes after a rare power struggle between DeSantis and the Republican-controlled Florida legislature over key provisions of the legislation.
The bill, signed on Thursday, grants Florida additional resources to help federal authorities detain and deport illegal immigrants. It also imposes tougher penalties for immigration-related offenses.
The legislation follows weeks of tense negotiations, as state lawmakers and the governor clashed over who should oversee immigration enforcement at the state level.
Last month, DeSantis called for a special legislative session to push through his immigration plan. However, state lawmakers ended that session and launched their own, setting off a dispute over the bill’s details. One of the main sticking points was the legislature’s initial proposal to transfer immigration enforcement authority to the agriculture commissioner. DeSantis strongly opposed the move and demanded the creation of a “chief immigration officer,” threatening to veto the bill if his demands were not met.
A compromise was eventually reached, leading to the creation of a State Board of Immigration Enforcement. The board will consist of the governor, the agriculture commissioner, the attorney general, and the chief financial officer, with all major decisions requiring unanimous approval. Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez, who played a key role in the negotiations, downplayed the tensions, stating, “At the end of the day, we’re all on the same team, and we all want to help President Trump solve illegal immigration.”
The new law introduces some of the toughest immigration measures in the country. It makes it a state crime to enter Florida illegally, removes in-state tuition benefits for undocumented students, strengthens penalties for crimes committed by illegal immigrants, and grants the governor the power to remove local officials who fail to enforce immigration laws. Additionally, illegal immigrants convicted of capital offenses will now face the death penalty in Florida.
The bill also provides $298 million in funding to expand immigration enforcement efforts, including hiring more than 50 new law enforcement personnel and investing in training and equipment. Some provisions from earlier versions of the bill, including a measure that would have reduced the governor’s emergency powers on immigration matters, were removed from the final legislation.
Despite the public feud with state lawmakers, DeSantis dismissed concerns over ongoing divisions, calling the legislative process a “healthy exercise.” Speaking at the signing ceremony, he said, “I don’t think you’re going to see any lingering feelings at all. If they do the job, then let’s move forward on it. And I think the legislation today does the job.”
Trump remained silent on the dispute but has been consistently focused on federal immigration policies since taking office on January 20.
