Florida Gov. DeSantis calls for tougher deportation policies and end to catch and release

Tallahassee, Florida – Emphasizing the vital need for strict legislative measures, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis engaged with law enforcement officers and citizens negatively impacted by illegal immigration in a series of powerful roundtable conversations. The sessions underlined the state’s determination to support the Trump Administration in strengthening immigration law enforcement inside Florida and border security.
Along with prominent figures such Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Executive Director Dave Kerner and Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey, Governor DeSantis criticized the most recent legislative efforts as insufficient. Signing a Memorandum of Understanding between the Florida Highway Patrol and the Homeland Security Investigations branch of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, this meeting marked a strengthened partnership against illegal immigration.
“The bill the Florida Legislature passed last night fails to honor our promises to voters, fails to meet the moment, and would actually weaken state immigration enforcement,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “We must have the strongest law in the nation on immigration enforcement that will guarantee state and local deportation assistance, end catch and release, eliminate magnets such as remittances, and adopt supporting policies that will protect Floridians.”
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Comprehensive in nature, Governor DeSantis’s proposed amendments call for the elimination of state incentives like in-state tuition rates for illegal immigrants and mandated statewide participation in the 287(g) agreement, therefore promoting local law enforcement cooperation with ICE. To protect election integrity, his legislative package are targeted at moving illegal immigrants to sanctuary cities and stiffen voter registration verifying procedures.
The Florida legislature’s response, however, fell short of these strict policies and chose instead a move that, according to critics, lessens the state’s desired strength in immigration enforcement. The passed laws neither guarantee sufficient funding for deportation attempts nor address problems like remittances or improve punishments for voting-related acts committed by illegal immigrants.
Particularly, it moves important enforcement duties from the governor’s office to the Florida Department of Agriculture, a decision seen as unusual and divisive given possible conflicts of interest in the agricultural industry, which historically has opposed tight immigration restrictions.
This legislative setback has not deterred Governor DeSantis. Florida has adopted the toughest E-Verify rules under his direction and started programs to accurately monitor the financial impact of illegal immigration. These steps help federal border security operations and complement law enforcement’s and the Florida State Guard’s enhanced patrolling activities in the state’s southern waters.
As Governor DeSantis underlined in his closing words, the time for half-measures is over and that Florida remains determined to decisively address the illegal immigration situation.
Florida’s government is ready to act significantly as federal enforcement under President Trump’s direction intensifies. This marks a pivotal action for immigration policy in the state.