Florida Lawmakers to Meet for Special Session on Immigration Reform Amid Tensions with DeSantis

Florida lawmakers are set to meet for another special session this week to push forward new immigration reform bills, with Governor Ron DeSantis offering full support. This follows a recent special session that saw tension between the governor and legislative leaders.

Senate President Ben Albritton and House Speaker Daniel Perez announced the session, which begins on Tuesday. They revealed the bills will focus on supporting President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration, particularly through increased partnerships between local, state, and federal law enforcement to arrest, detain, and deport criminal undocumented immigrants.

In a joint memo, Albritton and Perez emphasized that the special session comes after productive discussions on how Florida can assist Trump’s immigration efforts. “Over the past few weeks, there has been a great deal of productive discussion on how the state of Florida can best support President Trump’s efforts,” they wrote.

Governor DeSantis praised Albritton and Perez, calling them “great partners” in the fight for tougher immigration enforcement. He also acknowledged Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, whose involvement in immigration policy was contentious during last month’s special session. “With the enactment of these policies, Florida will help the Trump administration deliver on the president’s historic mandate to end illegal immigration,” DeSantis said. “This is a big win for the people of Florida and demonstrates that we will continue to lead.”

However, Speaker Perez stressed that Florida does not need to create a “mini-version of ICE” despite supporting Trump’s immigration agenda.

This special session comes on the heels of a previous one called by DeSantis to tackle immigration policy. During that session, tensions flared as Albritton and Perez opposed the governor’s proposals, leading to a session where their own immigration bill was passed — one that DeSantis later threatened to veto.

With illegal immigration being a key issue for Republicans, especially as Trump campaigns for re-election, there has been speculation of further special sessions. The House will meet at 12:15 p.m. Tuesday, while the Senate convenes at 1:15 p.m. The bills will be reviewed in budget committees on Wednesday, and floor sessions will take place Thursday.

The legislation, filed by Sen. Joe Gruters and Rep. Lawrence McClure, includes measures like increasing penalties for undocumented immigrants committing crimes, strengthening cooperation between local law enforcement and ICE, and establishing a State Board of Immigration Enforcement. The bills also propose a mandatory death penalty for undocumented immigrants who commit certain violent crimes, such as murder or the rape of children.

“By combining feedback from Governor DeSantis and Commissioner Simpson, along with strong legislation passed during Special Session B in January, we are building on technical assistance from the White House to strengthen policies that support President Trump’s efforts to fight illegal immigration,” the memo from Albritton and Perez stated.