Florida lawmakers are reconvening with Gov. Ron DeSantis’s support to pass a package of bills targeting illegal immigration. Senate President Ben Albritton and House Speaker Daniel Perez called the new session, which begins Tuesday afternoon, marking a departure from their previous clash when they had rejected DeSantis’s immigration proposals and passed their own bill that he threatened to veto.
- The new legislation includes several stringent measures: increased criminal penalties for undocumented immigrants who commit crimes, enhanced cooperation between local law enforcement and ICE, creation of a State Board of Immigration Enforcement, and attempts to impose mandatory death penalties for certain crimes committed by undocumented immigrants.
New Special Session Called on Immigration
By Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — After a special session late last month spiraled into a clash between Republican legislative leaders and Gov. Ron DeSantis, Florida lawmakers will meet in another special session this week to pass a package of bills targeting illegal immigration — with DeSantis’ support.
Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, and House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, on Monday evening issued a proclamation for a special session that will start Tuesday. They also released summaries of bills that include a series of steps aimed at helping carry out President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration.
“Over the last several weeks, there has been a great deal of productive discussion on how the state of Florida can best assist President Trump’s efforts to crackdown on illegal immigration, with a particular focus on partnerships between local, state, and federal law enforcement to arrest, detain, and deport criminal illegal immigrants,” Albritton and Perez said in a joint memo to lawmakers about the newly called special session.
DeSantis issued a statement that described Albritton and Perez as “great partners” and also thanked Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, whose role in immigration enforcement became a disputed issue during last month’s special session.
“With the enactment of these policies, Florida will help the Trump administration to deliver on the president’s historic mandate to end illegal immigration,” DeSantis said in the statement. “This is a big win for the people of Florida and demonstrates that we will continue to lead.”
The tone Monday evening was far different from two weeks ago, when lawmakers convened in a special session called by DeSantis to take up immigration policy and other issues. Albritton and Perez were clearly irked that DeSantis had called the special session, which they described as premature.
The Republican-controlled House and Senate quickly shut down the DeSantis-called session and convened their own session. Lawmakers ditched DeSantis’ proposals and passed an immigration bill that DeSantis threatened to veto.
But with cracking down on illegal immigration a core issue for Republicans — and perhaps the top priority of Trump — rumors of another special session circulated in recent days.
The House is scheduled to convene at 12:15 p.m. Tuesday, while the Senate will convene at 1:15 p.m., according to information posted on their websites. Budget committees in both chambers are expected to take up the bills Wednesday, and the House and Senate will hold floor sessions Thursday.
The bills were filed by Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, and Rep. Lawrence McClure, R-Dover. Both lawmakers also sponsored the legislation that passed during the special session in late January.
The bill summaries indicate they include boosting criminal penalties for undocumented immigrants who commit crimes; taking steps to increase local law-enforcement agencies’ cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; creating a State Board of Immigration Enforcement made up of the governor, agriculture commissioner, attorney general and chief financial officer; and trying to impose a mandatory death penalty for undocumented immigrants who commit murders or rape children.
“Combining important feedback received from Governor DeSantis and Commissioner Simpson with the very strong legislation passed during Special Session B (the late January session), we are building on the technical assistance from the White House to advance and implement strong policies and provide critical resources to support President Trump’s efforts to combat illegal immigration efficiently and effectively,” the memo from Albritton and Perez said.
State Rep. Alex Andrade posted on X:
Giving any single Cabinet member a “veto” is a better option than tasking the Ag Commissioner with immigration enforcement?
If @GovRonDeSantis doesn’t fly around the state on his taxpayer funded, luxury private jet and cry foul about this…
He was lying two weeks ago. pic.twitter.com/p3wMFpDtuS
— Alex Andrade (@RAlexAndradeFL) February 11, 2025
State Sen. Randy Fine:
Looking forward to presenting the TRUMP Act again with @JoeGruters during Special Session C! This package is almost identical to what we passed two weeks ago and will be the strongest anti-illegal immigration policy in the country, and will set Florida up to support our @realDonaldTrump
I am particularly glad that I will leave the Senate completing my goal, which I started four years ago, of ending the immoral preferential treatment of illegals over Americans in our university system. I am also glad to see @GovRonDeSantis largely come to the Legislature’s position, with only a few relatively minor changes. The past few weeks have been a poster child for why legislating through special session is a mistake. Had we worked on this through the normal legislative process, with its give-and-take, we would have ended up in this same place without the long-term damage that has been done in the Capitol. Let us hope that lesson has been learned.
— Senator Randy Fine (@VoteRandyFine) February 11, 2025
