Gov. Ron DeSantis and GOP leaders, who were publicly at odds with each other just weeks ago, celebrated a package of newly signed immigration measures they say will help President Donald Trump fight illegal immigration and protect Florida.

The legislation marked the end of several turbulent weeks and three Special Sessions, with Republicans fighting internally as the Legislature made a rare rebuke of DeSantis.

Senate President Ben Albritton and House Speaker Daniel Perez joined DeSantis at the bill-signing press conference where the Governor praised what he called a team effort.

“There was a lot of twists and turns, but I like to tell people, ‘When you’re on an airplane, sometimes you have turbulence.’ … You think of the minute you land safely, you just kind of forget about it. You move on with your day,” DeSantis said.

“This is business. It’s not personal. … You get the job done and you move on.”

DeSantis vowed to continue working with the GOP leaders over the next two years.

“Sometimes, siblings squabble,” Albritton added.

The bills’ reforms include creating new state crimes for illegal entry or reentry into Florida, raising driving without a license to a felony for undocumented immigrants and automatically ordering a death sentence as punishment for an undocumented immigrant convicted of a capital felony, such as sexual battery on a child under 12.

The legislation also sets up DeSantis and Agriculture Wilton Simpson, who were political foes in recent weeks, to work together to coordinate with the federal government on a new state council on immigration with other officials.

Democrats had pushed back against some of the changes. The minority party argued the legislation stokes anti-immigrant sentiment and unnecessarily targets undocumented students, who will now lose their in-state tuition rate.

House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell called the immigration laws “tone deaf” when Floridians are dealing with high prices and economic issues. She also said mandatory death sentences have been struck down as unconstitutional by the courts.

Other Democrats said the immigration measures aren’t strong enough and don’t crack down on the root of illegal immigration by going after employers and businesses hiring undocumented workers.

Albritton told reporters Thursday he is open to new legislation restricting employers from hiring illegal immigrants during the upcoming Regular Session. He added that regulating the private sector didn’t fit in with the state government’s infrastructure and enforcement efforts in Special Session bills.

DeSantis also said he is supportive of expanding E-Verify for smaller employers when asked during his press conference.

“That’s something that’s appropriate, so I would absolutely support it,” DeSantis said. “And I would also support funding for that.”

Sen. Joe Gruters, whose close relationship with Trump led to Gruters co-sponsoring the bills, argued the legislation should have been saved for the upcoming Regular Session starting next month.

“I wish we would have done this in the Regular Session, had committees, been able to work out our differences, and that way we never would have had the public fight that we did,” the Republican from Sarasota said Thursday on the Senate floor.

“But even with the public fight that we did, what happens when you have disagreements is you end up with a better bill, and this bill is a good bill. This bill isn’t the end all, be all, but it will have maximum coordination and collaboration with President Trump, with ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement).” 

DeSantis had ordered the Legislature to return last month for a Special Session to support Trump’s call for mass deportations and other issues.

GOP leaders grudgingly returned to Tallahassee as DeSantis held press conferences accusing them of being soft on illegal immigration. Lawmakers gaveled in and out and then called their own second Special Session, passing the TRUMP Act that bestowed the power of state immigration enforcement to Simpson.

DeSantis complained that the Legislature was putting the “fox in the hen house” and threatened to veto the bill. 

The Legislature’s third Special Session, held this week, reached a compromise where DeSantis and Simpson, plus state and law enforcement officials, will sit together on a council to coordinate immigration with the federal government. The new legislation would also give $250 million in grants for local law enforcement agencies who are being asked to step up and help with illegal immigration.

Senate Democratic Leader Jason Pizzo used a moment on the Senate floor Thursday to chide Republicans for the drama. 

“By the way, if anyone needs instruction in the future on how to do a three-way call on a phone, just ask me, or ask any of your aides,” Pizzo said during the Senate floor debate Thursday. “You can get Trump, the Legislature and the executive on the same phone at the same time, and spare the vitriol and crap that’s been slung among our members back and forth nationally.”

Post Views: 0

In news that will surprise no one recently cut off by a driver with a Canadian or New York license plate, Florida dominates a new list of best places for snowbirds to stay during colder months of the year.

That’s according to an analysis by FinanceBuzz, a financial management website. When listing the top 25 warm locales where Americans and Canadians like to spend their Winter months, Florida has nine cities in that elite bunch and accounts for the entire top 5.

Sebring was ranked the top locale for snowbirds in the U.S. FinanceBuzz analysts looked at 180 different cities using about two dozen factors to compile their rankings. Some of those elements include livability, affordability, temperature and climate, and culture and recreation.

The analysts compiled a scoring system to weigh those elements. Sebring racked up a 74.7 score, tops in the country.

“Sebring earned the highest overall livability score of any snowbird city. A low violent crime rate and very high walkability are major contributing factors in that regard, along with the fact that 44.3% of the population is over the age of 60, the fourth-highest rate overall,” the FinanceBuzz report said.

Sebring was the most affordable snowbird city in Florida, with a cost of living 17% lower than the national average. Average mortgage costs are just under $1,300 per month, among the lowest in the top 25.

The remaining top 5 cities included Sebastian, The Villages, Homosassa Springs and Naples. Punta Gorda, located in Southwest Florida, came in 10th.

The Villages outside of Orlando has the highest concentration of senior snowbirds, the analysis found.

“The Villages has the highest percentage of people ages over 60 in the U.S. as well as the most golf courses per capita,” the FinanceBuzz report said.

“While Florida tends to be among the first places people think of when it comes to snowbirds, Sunshine State cities only make up a little more than 50% of the top 10, according to our analysis. Looking at the full top 25 reveals even more diversity of choice, as only four additional Florida cities crack that list.”

Georgia had the second-most cities in the top 25, with four towns making the list. Texas and Alabama had three cities each in the top 25.

Other Florida cities in the top 25 included Panama City at 15th, Cape Coral at 18th, Port St. Lucie at 21st and Sarasota at 25th.

Post Views: 0