Ron DeSantis took the next right turn. In his relentless fight for the Republican presidential nomination, Florida’s governor is courting conservatives with a new law – and in doing so, turns the lives of hundreds of thousands of people upside down.
As of the first Saturday of July, Florida has over 200 laws. Conservatives in particular should be happy about the majority of them. For example, supporters of the Second Amendment may carry their weapons in public without permission, training, or a background check. However, a bill with the indistinct identifier “Senate Bill 1718” stands out from the small mountain. That should cause an earthquake in Florida – and feel off limits. It is arguably the strongest immigration law in the United States.
It was proposed by the reigning prince himself. The fact that the Sunshine State is increasingly evolving into a conservative bunker is part of Ron DeSantis’ national campaigning. The Florida governor is trying to distinguish himself in the race for the Republican presidential nomination with the utmost intensity so as not to be completely left behind by Donald Trump.
SB 1718 could turn the lives of hundreds of thousands of people upside down
SB 1718 is basically a law “intended to stop people from coming to the state of Florida, and I think it served its purpose,” US news site “Fox” quoted Republican Congresswoman Alina Garcia. When the bill passed the Republican-controlled chambers in May, only one conservative voted against it. No wonder, after all, DeSantis is also known among friends for his thirst for revenge.
The left-wing elite in Washington is responsible for the fact that such an explosion is absolutely necessary, as DeSantis has repeatedly emphasized. After all, the Biden administration has done nothing to stem the flow of illegal immigrants. With SB 1718, DeSantis slammed his right fist into the table.
35 pages of text, that’s all the governor needs to turn the lives of hundreds of thousands of people upside down. According to reports, the original design was more radical.
Here are the five highlights of the “slimmed down” release, which has been in effect since Saturday:
- Prosecuting undocumented employees and their employers: Companies with more than 25 employees must verify and digitally document the posting status and work authorization of their employees. If they don’t, they face fines of $1,000 per day or even the revocation of their business license. In addition, public organizations are allowed to terminate contracts with companies and subcontractors if they can assume that undocumented employees work there. DeSantis spokesman Jeremy Redfern said that “any company that takes advantage of this crisis by hiring illegal aliens instead of Floridians will be held accountable.”
- Hospitals must request immigration statusAll hospitals that receive Medicaid money, i.e., participate in the health care program, must collect the immigration status of their patients – prior to treatment. Clinics are obligated to share all relevant data with the Ministry of Health. Many doctors in Florida have been highly critical of this, also for cost reasons. They fear that people will avoid hospitals out of fear — until their condition threatens their lives. This, in turn, becomes much more expensive.
- Driving ban: A person without valid papers should not be permitted to drive a motor vehicle in Florida. Even undocumented immigrants who can show a driver’s license from another state are no longer allowed to drive on Florida roads, their driver’s license is not valid in the Sunshine State. Anyone who breaks the ban can be arrested.
- It is an offense to transport illegal immigrants: Anyone who “knowingly and knowingly” transports undocumented persons into or out of Florida also violates the law. This is “people smuggling” and is punishable by up to five years in prison. Even five or more illegal passengers are threatened with 15 years in prison. There are no exceptions to the rule – not even for family members.
- No more support for temporary sheets: The state prohibits local governments from promoting the issuance of so-called “community identity” cards in the future. These documents entitle Floridians who do not have an official ID to attend community services such as schools, day care centers, or libraries.
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Of course, these are only the pillars of the law. It remains to be seen how the more conservative authorities will implement them. Critics also complain that the wording of the law is deliberately vague to give authorities respite – or arbitrariness.
Many families now fear being torn apart by detours. Children born in the United States are automatically granted citizenship, unlike their parents. “I will not leave my son behind,” CBS News quoted a farm worker as saying. “If I go, my son will come with me.” By the way, the same man recently broke his arm and didn’t go to the hospital for fear that people would ask about his immigrant status.
Before the law went into effect, people across the state took to the streets to demonstrate. The Mexican Foreign Ministry also condemned the law. In a statement on Saturday, she said it would “harm the human rights of thousands of Mexicans, including children.” In May, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador urged Hispanics in Florida not to vote for DeSantis.
“We work hard in the fields. We pick tomatoes, strawberries, melons and oranges, and who is going to do that now?” To the Associated Press.
There she has a point. Because SB 1718 not only poses massive problems for immigrants, but also for Florida’s economy as a result. Companies are already having trouble finding workers. The country mainly makes its money in three sectors: tourism, agriculture and construction – all areas that rely heavily on cheap labour. About 10 percent of them are undocumented — about 400,000 people — Samuel Vilches Santiago, director of the American Business Immigration Coalition, told the Associated Press news agency. He is sure that the new law can be “really devastating”.
Many people will now wait and see how the authorities handle law enforcement before making a decision — perhaps turning their backs on Florida forever. “We’re hearing that people are starting to leave,” Yvette Cruz of the Florida Peasant Association told CBS News.
Just a taste of the USA under Ron DeSantis
Ron DeSantis wants to be in the White House. For this to work, as many immigrants as possible would have to leave Florida, according to part of the absurd calculation. Undocumented immigrants are a welcome target — after all, they can’t penalize hate at the polls.
In any case, DeSantis has already achieved her goal. To him, SB 1718 is nothing more than a brightly lit billboard. After all, he is desperately (and perhaps increasingly desperate) courting right-wing voters. His motto is “Make America Florida”. As the only real alternative, the 44-year-old wants to show Trump what they can expect from him as president of the United States. In short: he wants to be the “best” Trump. The man who not only speaks, but also acts. Because DeSantis should score gradually. Present According to opinion polls The challenger is behind Trump by about 30 percentage points.
In the end, SB 1718 is just a bait for America under Ron DeSantis, perhaps under the Trump administration as well. The battle for America’s conservative soul continues, that’s for sure. It only happens on the right wing.
sources: AP; “CBS News“;”Tampa Bay Times“;”USA Today“;”hill“;”vox“;”Newsweek“
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