Special Session begins in Florida with compromise on illegal immigration

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV/Gray Florida Capital Bureau) - Florida lawmakers are moving forward with a third special session within the last month. This is the latest attempt by Republicans to pass tougher immigration bills to help the federal government.

The proposals the legislature is considering in this special session is a compromise between the legislature and the governor. Lawmakers still haven’t sent the TRUMP Act they approved two weeks ago to the governor’s desk after Gov. Ron DeSantis promised to veto the act.

“We asserted our right as the elected representatives of the people to have an equal seat at the table, to be a participate in a conversation rather than a recipient of instruction,” House Speaker Rep. Daniel Perez, (R) Miami, said.

That seat led to three different bills being considered. Much of the meat of the bill can be found in the version passed two weeks ago with some changes.

Those changes include replacing the Agriculture Commissioner as the Chief Immigration Officer with a State Board of Immigration Enforcement, which would be made up of the entire cabinet, with decisions needing to be unanimous.

“Which I think you will find are both aggressive in combating the problem of immigration and thoughtful in the means and methods we have chosen,” Rep. Perez said.

Governor DeSantis insisted lawmakers can’t wait to take up illegal immigration when they are in Tallahassee for regular session in just a few weeks.

After weeks of debate with the Governor, Republicans are now on board.

“It’s something the voters overwhelming voted for us to solve. Not just here in the state of Florida, but nationwide. And here in Florida, we lead the way,” Rep. Juan Carlos Porras, (R) Miami, said.

But Democrats feel at this point, they might as well just wait for March 4.

“It would’ve been far better frankly if we were going to consider any of these bills at all for it to have gone through the regular session process. That frankly allows for more time,” House Minority Leader Rep. Fentrice Driskell, (D) Tampa, said.

Rep. Driskell said the legislature should be spending its time working toward other solutions. She said it’s not the state’s job to enforce immigration.

“When you look at the immigration system it is, we can acknowledge is broken, but it requires federal solutions, federal funding, more judges, more agents for ICE,” Rep. Driskel said.

Both chambers will hold hearings on the proposals Wednesday with final passage expected to happen Thursday. Governor DeSantis said he’d sign them if they are passed without changes.