Florida's Republican-controlled Legislature approves immigration legislation despite objections from DeSantis
State Sen. Randy Fine expressed his views by stating, “I’m not going to take lectures from someone who a year ago didn’t think Donald Trump should be president.”
TroibNews 
On Tuesday, Florida's Republican-controlled Legislature intensified its conflict with Gov. Ron DeSantis by passing a bill he vehemently opposed, aimed at supporting President Donald Trump’s efforts to combat illegal immigration.
Just hours before the final votes, DeSantis criticized the legislation as “weak, weak, weak” in a social media post, despite GOP legislators' assurances that changes were made after consulting with the Trump administration. Nonetheless, the final votes did not achieve the necessary count for a veto-proof majority.
Many Republican lawmakers chose to proceed with the legislation, asserting that it would assist Trump in fulfilling his immigration campaign promises. This discord highlights the diminishing influence of DeSantis following his defeat by Trump in the GOP presidential primary.
“I’m not going to take lectures from someone who a year ago didn’t think Donald Trump should be president,” remarked state Sen. Randy Fine, a Republican from Brevard County.
House Speaker Daniel Perez also voiced strong support for the bill, which allocates over $500 million to assist the state with immigration issues, calling it a “game changer.” He urged legislators to disregard “noise” from activists and social media, noting, “Threatening others to get your way isn’t leadership. It’s immaturity. The people of our state deserve better.”
The vote concluded a two-day special session initiated earlier this month as Trump’s inauguration approached. DeSantis convened lawmakers in Tallahassee to consider a range of proposals, including immigration issues and measures aimed at making ballot initiatives more difficult to pass. However, legislative leaders, who initially deemed DeSantis’ call for a special session as “premature,” opted to pursue their own immigration reform instead.
The Senate passed the bill with a 21-16 vote, with five Republicans joining Democrats in opposition. The final count fell short of the supermajority needed to override a potential DeSantis veto. Shortly after the Senate vote, the House approved the bill by a margin of 82-30.
The legislation, now awaiting the governor's approval, repeals a decade-old law allowing undocumented students who graduated from Florida high schools to pay in-state tuition. This measure was celebrated when then-Gov. Rick Scott signed it into law in 2014.
Democrats attempted to amend the bill to provide current college students an opportunity to complete their degrees before changes took effect. They argued that raising tuition would deter students from enrolling in Florida colleges, impacting those already pursuing their education.
“It’s not the kids’ fault,” stated state Sen. Jason Pizzo, the Democratic leader. “This is an education they’re asking for — not a handout.”
These objections did not resonate with Florida’s Republican majority. Senate President Ben Albritton had indicated support for gradually phasing out the tuition waiver, but the proposal was not accepted by the Legislature, which supported provisions requiring schools to assess the eligibility of all students benefiting from the tuition break beginning July 1.
“I’m not interested in giving illegal immigrants a discount on our colleges and universities,” Fine asserted, leading the effort to eliminate the waiver.
DeSantis also advocated for the termination of the in-state tuition benefit, labeling it a “relic” and a motivator for illegal immigration. Although sponsored by Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez when she served in the state House, she recently expressed her support for the repeal on social media.
One notable aspect of the legislation is the designation of Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, who has a strained relationship with DeSantis, as the state’s chief immigration officer, transferring authority and funding away from the governor. DeSantis and his supporters openly questioned Simpson’s commitment to enforcing immigration laws, given his connections to the agriculture sector.
Additionally, DeSantis' proposed restrictions on money transfers abroad were excluded from the final bill. State Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, an ally of the governor, criticized the legislation for potentially enabling some local law enforcement officials to avoid compliance with federal authorities.
“I cannot vote for it because it is nowhere near strong enough for my taste,” said Ingoglia, expressing concern about the constitutional implications of the shift to Simpson.
When asked during the debate about Simpson’s selection for the role, the bill’s House sponsor, Lawrence McClure, highlighted the existing law enforcement capabilities within the agency and noted current vacancies in other Cabinet positions. He expressed surprise at the backlash Simpson received from the governor and his allies, praising him as “someone that I have known for a very long time and known to be an honorable man. … Hard to find, quite frankly, anybody who would say anything bad about him.” He concluded, “Why did we pick him? Because he’s a good man. Why did we pick his agency? Because they’ve got good people. That’s it.”
Max Fischer for TROIB News
Just hours before the final votes, DeSantis criticized the legislation as “weak, weak, weak” in a social media post, despite GOP legislators' assurances that changes were made after consulting with the Trump administration. Nonetheless, the final votes did not achieve the necessary count for a veto-proof majority.
Many Republican lawmakers chose to proceed with the legislation, asserting that it would assist Trump in fulfilling his immigration campaign promises. This discord highlights the diminishing influence of DeSantis following his defeat by Trump in the GOP presidential primary.
“I’m not going to take lectures from someone who a year ago didn’t think Donald Trump should be president,” remarked state Sen. Randy Fine, a Republican from Brevard County.
House Speaker Daniel Perez also voiced strong support for the bill, which allocates over $500 million to assist the state with immigration issues, calling it a “game changer.” He urged legislators to disregard “noise” from activists and social media, noting, “Threatening others to get your way isn’t leadership. It’s immaturity. The people of our state deserve better.”
The vote concluded a two-day special session initiated earlier this month as Trump’s inauguration approached. DeSantis convened lawmakers in Tallahassee to consider a range of proposals, including immigration issues and measures aimed at making ballot initiatives more difficult to pass. However, legislative leaders, who initially deemed DeSantis’ call for a special session as “premature,” opted to pursue their own immigration reform instead.
The Senate passed the bill with a 21-16 vote, with five Republicans joining Democrats in opposition. The final count fell short of the supermajority needed to override a potential DeSantis veto. Shortly after the Senate vote, the House approved the bill by a margin of 82-30.
The legislation, now awaiting the governor's approval, repeals a decade-old law allowing undocumented students who graduated from Florida high schools to pay in-state tuition. This measure was celebrated when then-Gov. Rick Scott signed it into law in 2014.
Democrats attempted to amend the bill to provide current college students an opportunity to complete their degrees before changes took effect. They argued that raising tuition would deter students from enrolling in Florida colleges, impacting those already pursuing their education.
“It’s not the kids’ fault,” stated state Sen. Jason Pizzo, the Democratic leader. “This is an education they’re asking for — not a handout.”
These objections did not resonate with Florida’s Republican majority. Senate President Ben Albritton had indicated support for gradually phasing out the tuition waiver, but the proposal was not accepted by the Legislature, which supported provisions requiring schools to assess the eligibility of all students benefiting from the tuition break beginning July 1.
“I’m not interested in giving illegal immigrants a discount on our colleges and universities,” Fine asserted, leading the effort to eliminate the waiver.
DeSantis also advocated for the termination of the in-state tuition benefit, labeling it a “relic” and a motivator for illegal immigration. Although sponsored by Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez when she served in the state House, she recently expressed her support for the repeal on social media.
One notable aspect of the legislation is the designation of Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, who has a strained relationship with DeSantis, as the state’s chief immigration officer, transferring authority and funding away from the governor. DeSantis and his supporters openly questioned Simpson’s commitment to enforcing immigration laws, given his connections to the agriculture sector.
Additionally, DeSantis' proposed restrictions on money transfers abroad were excluded from the final bill. State Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, an ally of the governor, criticized the legislation for potentially enabling some local law enforcement officials to avoid compliance with federal authorities.
“I cannot vote for it because it is nowhere near strong enough for my taste,” said Ingoglia, expressing concern about the constitutional implications of the shift to Simpson.
When asked during the debate about Simpson’s selection for the role, the bill’s House sponsor, Lawrence McClure, highlighted the existing law enforcement capabilities within the agency and noted current vacancies in other Cabinet positions. He expressed surprise at the backlash Simpson received from the governor and his allies, praising him as “someone that I have known for a very long time and known to be an honorable man. … Hard to find, quite frankly, anybody who would say anything bad about him.” He concluded, “Why did we pick him? Because he’s a good man. Why did we pick his agency? Because they’ve got good people. That’s it.”
Max Fischer for TROIB News
