On Friday, the Florida legislature granted Governor Ron DeSantis the authority to relocate migrants from anywhere in the United States to Florida. The bill passed the Florida House of Representatives on a partisan basis and has already been approved by the Republican-led state Senate. It now awaits DeSantis’ signature to become law. The lawmakers are holding a special session to advance several important bills to DeSantis, who has gained national attention through his vocal stance on cultural issues and is rumored to be running for president next year.
Last year, DeSantis used public funds to fly South American migrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, citing the federal government’s inadequate immigration policies as the reason. The move was criticized as a political stunt by Democrats and immigration advocates and raised legal questions as none of the migrants were in Florida. Democratic state Senator Jason Pizzo has filed a lawsuit against DeSantis as a private citizen, accusing him of misusing taxpayer money.
The new bill would allow DeSantis to transport migrants from any part of the country and declares that the funds spent on past flights are “deemed approved,” which could help defend the governor against misuse allegations. Democrats argue that the program exploits vulnerable individuals for political purposes and that some migrants were misled. They called the bill indefensible and criticized the use of people’s lives for political games.
On the other hand, Republicans argue that the bill will assist migrants who wish to travel to sanctuary cities voluntarily and provide them with more benefits. Representative Juan Fernandez-Barquin said they are offering migrants a free ticket to cities where they will receive more benefits than in Florida.
The new bill granting DeSantis the power to relocate migrants anywhere in the United States has generated controversy, with Democrats calling it indefensible and Republicans defending it as a way to help migrants access sanctuary cities. The bill awaits DeSantis’ signature to become law, and its implementation will likely raise further legal and ethical questions.
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Florida lawmakers give DeSantis authority to relocate migrants anywhere in U.S.