DeSantis takes action on immigration without going after businesses [View all]
A Democrat wanted to require all businesses to use E-Verify, but Republican senators ruled it out of order.
As Gov. Ron DeSantis and state lawmakers weighed how to respond to President Donald Trumps immigration orders, they considered everything from mandatory death penalties for migrants who are in the country illegally to barring them from receiving in-state college tuition.
Theres one topic that was off the table, though: Going after the companies hiring them.
In bills passed by the Legislature and signed by DeSantis on Thursday, state lawmakers arent requiring more companies to screen workers through E-Verify, the federal database that confirms an employees citizenship status. They arent assigning more resources to enforce it and arent increasing penalties for companies who violate it.
Democrats seized on the omission this week, saying it runs counter to claims by DeSantis and Republican leaders that they were passing the toughest immigration laws in the nation.
Youre not a serious person, politician or public servant if you are not recognizing, identifying and doing something about employment, Sen. Jason Pizzo, D-Miami, said Wednesday.
https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2025/02/13/desantis-florida-verify-immigration-legislature-trump-migrants/