MIAMI.- As of July 1, Florida has new laws, which were adopted by the state Congress and promulgated by Governor Ron de Santis, among which stands out SB1718 which addresses the immigration irregular in state.
Just a few months ago, Governor Ron DeSantis asked the state Congress to adopt measures to curb irregular immigration to Florida and stop the millionaire spending that produces health care, supplemental aid and public education service.
Florida claims that more than 100,000 irregular immigrants have arrived in Florida, but other unofficial estimates put the number closer to half a million.
“Florida is not a sanctuary state and we will defend the rule of law,” DeSantis warned.
In fact, immigration is a matter of the national government and the states have no jurisdiction over it, except to somehow control the flow of immigrants without a permit to stay when the interests of the state are affected.
When state bill SB1718 was introduced in January, it created fear in Florida because it called for penalizing those who transported irregular immigrants within the state, but, during the course of the legislature, the idea was modified and now states that it is prohibited to drive a foreigner undocumented to or from Florida. In other words, within the state, county or city it is not prohibited.
In this way, “the concern that we cannot take someone without papers to the hospital, work or supermarket is dismissed,” clarified lawyer Luis Martínez, from the Martinez & Associates law firm.
Employment
What is in force is corroborating the legal status of workers, through the national E-Verify network, when the employer has more than 25 workers.
This could lead to the irregular immigrant losing his job. Otherwise, the employer or business could be fined $1,000 per day of violation. Even the operating permit or license could be suspended after multiple violations.
Medical attention
Another current addendum is that the new law requires medical centers that make use of public Medicaid insurance to collect data on the immigration status of their patients, but, according to the lawyer, the patient “can refuse to provide the information” because there is another law required to provide medical care.
Another important issue that this law raises is invalidating any driver’s license that has been issued to an irregular immigrant by another state.
It also does not allow the granting of said card or state identification and allows the police, whether state, county or municipal, to provide information to the federal Immigration authority, although it does not specify whether it is obliged to do so.
Therefore, “if it does not specify, there is no obligation,” said the lawyer.
State law, as already stated in federal law, penalizes anyone who uses another person’s identification, such as a Social Security card, to obtain employment.
