Weeks after the 2024 election, The Federalist’s John Daniel Davidson predicted in these sites that the biggest barrier to President Donald Trump’s plan doesn’t get Democrats,” but creation Republicans”. Not yet a fortnight into Trump’s presidency, Davidson’s estimates has come true in the form of Florida’s GOP-controlled government.
Throughout the past several weeks, Gov. Ron DeSantis has been at odds with his party over the government’s plan to deport illegal immigrants. DeSantis requested a special period of the government earlier this month to go protection measures that would toughen the president’s grip on illegal immigrants, improve cooperation between local and state regulators with federal emigration authorities, and more.
The government and the GOP legislative leadership in Florida could have simply backed down and taken action to satisfy the” America First” mandate that Florida’s and Americans worldwide voted for. Alternatively, they’ve taken it upon themselves to enjoy social games over the problem.
House Speaker Daniel Perez and Senate President Ben Albritton threw their desired immigration policy into their own unique conference last week after deposing a letter that decried DeSantis ‘ ask for a special session as “premature.” Perez even referred to DeSantis ‘ request for a” stunt” as a” stunt.”
As it turns out, however, it appears the only” stunt” being pulled is that by Perez, Albritton, and their GOP establishment allies, who have put forward a bill ( deceptively named the” TRUMP Act” ) that seemingly contains much weaker provisions than those requested by DeSantis.
One of the legislation’s most intriguing provisions is that essentially removes the governor’s authority over immigration enforcement and designates the state’s agriculture commissioner as Florida’s” general immigration officer.” Wilton Simpson, a former Florida Senate president, is currently in charge of the placement. He reportedly owns a sizable chicken land and has recently expressed concern that a 2023 position immigration bill with restrictions on employing foreign nationals could have “unintended consequences” for businesses that rely on illegal immigrant labor.
According to some studies, illegal immigrant workers make up 40 to 50 % of Florida’s agricultural sector.
” That’s like the wolf guarding the bird house”, said DeSantis, who has pledged to veto the bill. I’ve not seen our basic take a more negative view of a problem than the government is currently trying to pull. It is like 99 to 1 in terms of antagonism”.
During his time in the government, Simpson somewhat supported steps giving temporary pilot’s licenses and in-state tuition costs to specific foreign nationals. As Senate president ( 2020-2022 ), he also fought , DeSantis over the governor’s veto of a congressional map approved by the GOP-controlled legislature. The image put forth by DeSantis and ultimately approved by the government “netted Florida Republicans four more parliamentary tickets on Election Day [2022] and largely helped the GOP win the little House majority,” according to Politico.
It’s not just DeSantis who is speaking out on the bill’s weak points, however.
Leaders from Florida’s Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles ( FLHSMV) recently noted, as described by The Blaze,” the legislature’s bill handcuffs their]immigration ] enforcement effort”, and” the GOP leadership did not consult them when drafting the legislation”.
” This]bill ] would take]away ] our ability to interact with DEA, ICE, what have you, and that full spectrum of federal law enforcement, and we would have to go through an additional layer of an agency, through the office of immigration enforcement”, FLHSMV Executive Director Dave Kerner told lawmakers last week. ” This language is very limiting”.
Florida’s Department of Law Enforcement also said it was not contacted for input on the legislature’s bill.
None of this has stopped Perez and his supporters from trying to trick voters into thinking the details of the conflict are the most intricate. From attempting to hide behind Trump’s name to labeling DeSantis a” RINO“, the establishment’s antics have been nothing short of remarkable.
In regards to Perez, the GOP speaker has tried to portray DeSantis as a villain because he opposes his bill, which he claims “gives the death penalty to any illegal immigrant that commits murder, that rapes children.” ( DeSantis has already ratified a law allowing the death penalty for those found guilty of child rape almost two years ago )
Perez also reportedly stripped GOP Rep. Mike Caruso — the only House Republican to vote against leadership’s bill — of his subcommittee chairmanship, according to Politico.
Contrary to what they’re hearing in their Tallahassee echo chamber, the Florida GOP establishment isn’t fooling anyone. Voters are wise to Perez and Co.’s charade and are aware that this” stunt” is no different from those that Republicans regularly pull on Capitol Hill.
When DeSantis leaves office in early 2027, the feckless Republican legislative leaders of Florida can be expected to return the Sunshine State to status quo politics, according to this most recent dust-up. They have an obligation to make their voices heard and take these establishment cronies on notice if voters want to keep the free and prosperous society that their governor’s bold leadership has created.
Shawn Fleetwood is a graduate of the University of Mary Washington and a staff writer for The Federalist. He previously served as a state content writer for Convention of States Action and his work has been featured in numerous outlets, including RealClearPolitics, RealClear Health, and Conservative Review. Follow him on Twitter @ShawnFleetwood
