Speaking during a recent press conference, Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida vowed that illegal immigrants would regret coming to the Sunshine State, particularly if they committed crimes, saying that the state was ready to throw the book at them. That came after he signed three bills making it easier to crack down illegal immigration in the state and lock up illegal immigrants caught committing crimes.
The three bills Gov. DeSantis signed were SB 1036, HB 1451, and HB 1589. SB 1036 “enhances penalties for a crime committed by an individual who returns to the country illegally after an initial deportation,” dramatically increasing penalties for those illegal immigrants who had been previously deported and are caught committing felonies. HB 1451 “prevents counties and municipalities from accepting ID cards issued to illegal aliens by other jurisdictions.” HB 1589 “increases penalties on individuals who operate a vehicle without a license,” dramatically ratcheting up the maximum sentence for the crime.
Gov. DeSantis, commenting on the bills, said, “The federal government has failed in its responsibility to secure our southern border, leaving states to fend for themselves. In Florida, we do not tolerate illegal immigration, let alone lawlessness committed by illegal aliens who shouldn’t be here in the first place. The bills I signed today further enhance Florida’s capabilities to uphold the law.”
Joining in, his Lieutenant Governor, Jeanette Nunez, said, “Under the leadership of Governor Ron DeSantis, Florida has provided a blueprint for other states to protect their citizens against illegal immigration. Our administration will not stand on the sidelines and watch as the Biden Border Crisis continues to spiral out of control. I’m proud to serve alongside Governor DeSantis as we take action to protect Floridians in every corner of our state.”
Similarly, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “Ever since President Biden was sworn in, his administration has taken systematic steps to dismantle our country’s public safety immigration laws. I am grateful that here in Florida, we have leaders who will step up to keep Floridians safe. Thanks to Governor DeSantis and our lawmakers, those here illegally committing crimes will face harsh penalties and we will continue to build a stronger, safer Florida.”
DeSantis commented on the matter in a press conference as well, delivering a stern warning to illegal immigrants in Georgia and saying, in part, “If you have been deported and you come to this state and you’re here illegally and you commit crimes, we are throwing the book at you. You are going to regret coming to the state of Florida.”
Watch DeSantis here:
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Gov. DeSantis also announced the deployment of state resources to stop illegal immigrants from Haiti from making it to Florida, saying, “For quite some time, the State of Florida has been dedicating significant resources to combat illegal vessels coming to Florida from countries such as Haiti. Given the circumstances in Haiti, I have directed the Division of Emergency Management, the Florida State Guard, and state law enforcement agencies to deploy over 250 additional officers and soldiers and over a dozen air and sea craft to the southern coast of Florida to protect our state. No state has done more to supplement the (under-resourced) U.S. Coast Guard’s interdiction efforts; we cannot have illegal aliens coming to Florida.”
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video