Florida Passes Immigration Law As Signal To Haitian Migrants

Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis sent a clear message to the expected wave of Haitian migrants many believe will target his state — you need to illegally enter the U.S. elsewhere.

Haiti’s notoriously shaky government collapsed and the island is now under gang control. Many are expected to flee to the U.S.

The governor signed legislation Friday and told a press conference that Joe Biden’s White House failed the country in fending off the illegal migrant invasion. “In Florida, we do not tolerate illegal immigration, let alone lawlessness committed by illegal aliens who shouldn’t be here.”

A series of new laws demonstrated this commitment to protecting citizens from the invasion.

Senate Bill 1036 strengthens penalties for illegals who commit crimes and have reentered the U.S. after previously being deported. The potential punishments in some cases are triple what they were under previous guidelines.

House Bill 1451 bars Florida authorities from “accepting ID cards issued to illegal aliens by other jurisdictions.” State entities are already prohibited from issuing legal IDs to those in the nation illegally.

DeSantis announces Florida agents have interdicted a vessel that had 25 suspected illegal immigrants from Haiti:

"They had firearms, they had drugs." pic.twitter.com/BdqpQXbFK0

— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) March 15, 2024

The third, House Bill 1589, heightens criminal liability for illegal migrants who operate a vehicle without a license. 

Licenses issued to illegals in sanctuary states have no meaning in Florida. DeSantis declared, “You come here, you’re not getting a license. We’re not recognizing your California license that you may have gotten in a sanctuary state.”

The laws add to measures taken by the former GOP presidential candidate in 2023 to discourage illegal migration. Companies that employ 25 or more workers must use E-Verify, penalties were established for those who fail to do so and stronger punishments were enacted for human traffickers.

Two special guests joined DeSantis at the press conference. Republican state Rep. Kiyan Michael lost her son Brandon in a 2007 auto accident. He was struck by an illegal migrant who was driving without a license and had already been deported twice.

Nikki Jones also spoke to the gathering. She tragically lost her husband to another illegal migrant driver in 2019.

Jones warned the gathering of “illegal alien crime.”

Directly addressing that crime, DeSantis added, “We are throwing the book at you, and you’re going to regret coming to the state of Florida.”