Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a major immigration reform package on Thursday, pushing forward a series of laws that align closely with President Donald Trump’s hardline stance on illegal immigration. Supporters of the legislation argue that it positions Florida as a leader in the national movement to use state and local resources to enforce federal immigration policies, despite concerns from immigrant rights advocates.
One of the most controversial provisions in the new laws is the mandate for the death penalty for undocumented immigrants who commit capital offenses, including first-degree murder or child rape. This goes beyond Trump’s executive orders on immigration and has sparked criticism from civil rights groups, who argue that the provision is unconstitutional, citing prior Supreme Court rulings.
The laws come after a tense negotiation between DeSantis and state legislators. While DeSantis signed the bills into law, he criticized previous proposals from lawmakers as weak and a betrayal of conservative voters. Some of the tension arises from the fact that DeSantis has positioned himself as a challenger to Trump for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, despite being an ally of the former president on many issues.
“Today, the Florida Legislature has passed the strongest legislation to combat illegal immigration of any state in the entire country,” DeSantis said as he signed the bills. He also emphasized Florida’s role in tackling the illegal immigration crisis ahead of other states.
In addition to the death penalty provision, the laws allocate nearly $300 million for immigration enforcement. This funding will support hiring over 50 new law enforcement officers focused on immigration, providing grants for local agencies, and reimbursing costs for detention facilities. The legislation also increases penalties for crimes committed by undocumented immigrants and creates a new crime for entering the state illegally.
A provision that garnered significant backlash repeals a law allowing undocumented students to qualify for in-state tuition at Florida public colleges and universities. Lawmakers also dropped an earlier proposal to strip the governor of much of his emergency powers on immigration.
As part of a broader trend, lawmakers in other southern states, including Alabama and Georgia, are advancing their own strict immigration laws, furthering Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration. Alabama’s proposals include provisions allowing jails to hold people to verify immigration status and making it a felony to bring an undocumented immigrant into the state. In Georgia, the Senate passed a bill allowing local governments to be sued if they do not cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.
With the controversy surrounding Florida’s new immigration laws, it remains to be seen whether the courts will uphold these measures, particularly the death penalty provision. Civil rights groups have already indicated their intention to challenge the constitutionality of some of these measures.
