Governor Ron DeSantis and legislators on both sides of the aisle, are asking voters to weigh in and help them move forward with immigration reform in the state.
The call comes as DeSantis plans to veto the current iteration of an immigration bill that the legislature passed Tuesday during a special session of the Florida Legislature.
The bill, in part, says state immigration enforcement would fall under the office of Agriculture Commissioner, sets aside half-a-billion to hire more law enforcement, and repeals a law that allows undocumented students to pay in-state tuition.
But DeSantis wants stronger penalties for not enforcing the law, and for his office to be in charge of those efforts. He is asking voters to call their representatives today and throughout the weekend to push them to write what he calls a stronger immigration bill that he could sign into law.
“So be true to the people that sent you there. Listen to their concerns. Do not try to pull the wool over their eyes. Do not give them a song and dance. Answer these questions that they have for you,” said DeSantis.
DeSantis said he was really disappointed that he’s heard from a number of voters who said they couldn’t get through to their representative over the phone or email.
Watch the governor’s full remarks in South Florida on immigration:
Democrats are also calling on constituents to call their representatives and push for the removal of a ban on in-state tuition for undocumented students from the current bill. That way, said Democratic Representative Anna Eskamani, if the governor vetoes the bill, Democrats could help override that veto.
She said waivers for in-state tuition for undocumented students have historically been popular with Democrats and Republicans in the state.
“This is a bipartisan proposal that was signed into law by now U.S. Senator, then-Governor Rick Scott. It was a bill carried by the current Lieutenant Governor Nuñez when she was in the legislature,” said Eskamani.
Without those waivers for in-state tuition, said Eskamani, many undocumented students may not be able to afford to get an education in Florida, or to complete a degree they already started.
Eskamani said most Democrats could otherwise get behind the bill as written.
The governor did not disclose when he plans on vetoing the current bill, which he has characterized as “weak” and not aligning with President Trump’s immigration reform.
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Read the current version of the bill here:
