MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis held a news conference Wednesday evening at Homestead Air Force Base to speak on the issue of illegal immigration, touting some of the state-led steps that have been taken to enforce immigration laws.
Starting out, DeSantis discussed state-led initiatives aimed at preventing illegal immigration, such as Operation Lone Star — an ongoing mission that involves sending Florida law enforcement to the southern U.S. border in Texas to help manage illegal crossings into the country.
In addition, DeSantis pointed to thousands of interdictions of illegal immigrants in Florida via the Coast Guard, which has been responsible for stopping migrant boats attempting to illegally cross into Florida.
“The reality was there weren’t enough folks there during the Biden administration to stop all the vessels, so we surged marine assets,” he stated.
From there, DeSantis pivoted into talking about a new bill filed in the state Legislature this week that would crack down on undocumented migrants working in the state, saying that while interdictions can be effective, the cause of the issue should be tackled at its source.
That bill — HB 955 — would make amends to a prior Florida statute that requires employers to use the state’s E-Verify system to determine whether employees are legal. The statute imposes this requirement for employers with at least 25 employees, though the new bill would expand that to all employers in the state.
“I support that. I think it would be great,” DeSantis proclaimed. “And I think it helps remove the magnets that draw people who didn’t want to come here illegally in the first place.”
DeSantis also discussed the state’s push to enforce new immigration laws passed this month that are aimed at helping the Trump administration’s goal of stemming illegal immigration.
The new laws are aimed at maximizing state and local participation in federal immigration enforcement, as well as increasing penalties for undocumented migrants in the country who commit crimes.
“The reality is the American people spoke very clearly,” DeSantis continued. “They’re sick of having an open border, and they’re sick of the rule of law being ignored.”
Following that, DeSantis brought Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey up to the stage to discuss how this enforcement looks at the local level. Ivey lauded the changes, calling them a “force multiplier.”
“If somebody is in the state of Florida that’s here in our country illegally, this new law gives us the ability to hold them accountable and to take them in,” Ivey explained. “And we appreciate it. We are blessed.”
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