TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – In an effort to help President-elect Donald Trump enforce deportation, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is calling for a special session to address immigration as well as other issues.
Speaking to reporters in Tallahassee on Monday, the governor discussed the upcoming presidential inauguration and the anticipated policy changes under President Trump’s administration, particularly concerning border security and illegal immigration.
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DeSantis said the state needs additional measures to ensure people are held accountable for violating “anti-sanctuary policies”.
The governor also added that he’s prepared to suspend elected officials from office if they are “neglecting their duties” under the new immigration mandates and that he would consider activating the Florida National Guard and the Florida State Guard to carry out in-state enforcement measures.
DeSantis said he anticipates allocating tens of millions of dollars in new funding to help state and local officials expand their enforcement and detention efforts.
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“State and local officials in Florida must help the Trump administration enforce our nation’s immigration laws. We are going to need legislation to impose additional duties on local officials and provide funding for those local officials,” said DeSantis.
The special session would begin the week of Jan. 27, roughly a week after Trump’s inauguration date.
Beyond immigration, the special session will also address what DeSantis called other pressing issues in Florida, including the need for immediate relief funding for hurricane-affected areas and agriculture needs, as well as condo relief, citing the financial burden on condo owners since the 2021 Surfside condominium collapse.
“Things like ‘My Safe Florida Home’, we have people who are approved but the funding ran out. Why not provide them the grant? They can built back in a way that will be more resilient in the future. ” said DeSantis.
The final addition to the legislative call focuses on reforming the petition and amendment process in Florida. DeSantis highlighted what he calls a significant issue of fraudulent petitions verified by the secretary of state’s investigation during the last election, particularly concerning Amendment 4.
Prior to the November election, DeSantis faced criticism from abortion rights activists who accused the governor of using state money to fight the abortion rights amendment. During his campaign, a federal judge blocked Florida from interfering with abortion rights ads on TV stations.
Amendment 4 received 57% of the vote, falling short of the 60% threshold.
The Associated Press attributed to this report.
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