TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida Legislature has sent Gov. Ron DeSantis a high-profile Republican bill banning sanctuary policies for undocumented immigrants and requiring law enforcement officials to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.
The bill passed the House on a 68-45 vote Thursday, shortly after it cleared the Senate by 22-18. DeSantis supports the measure and is likely to sign it into law.
The legislation would require local officials to honor U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainers for undocumented immigrants who are arrested or convicted of a crime, exempting crime victims and witnesses. It would ban local governments from enacting sanctuary policies to protect those immigrants from deportation.
No Florida city or county currently has a sanctuary policy. Opponents warn it could discourage people from visiting Florida, separate families and harm business interests such as agriculture.