DeSantis Threatens to Veto Gruters' Immigration Bill

Todays News

Image courtesy Florida Senate: Joe Gruters on the Senate floor.

Every state lawmaker representing Sarasota and Manatee counties supported an immigration bill sponsored by Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota. Now, Gov. Ron DeSantis is threatening to veto it and fund Primary challenges to legislators supporting the bill.

The Tackling and Reforming Unlawful Migration Policy Act, or TRUMP Act, passed in the Senate on a 21-16 vote on Tuesday, before passing in the House on an 82-30 vote. No Democrats voted in favor of the bill, but one Republican House member and six Republican Senators cast votes against it.

Gruters called the legislation “the strongest immigration bill in the country.” The legislation would increase penalties and levels for any crimes committed by undocumented individuals in the U.S. illegally, including requiring the death penalty for capital crimes like murder and rape. It would also require Florida law enforcement agencies to develop partnerships with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, something Gruters said will aid with President Donald Trump’s promise to conduct mass deportations of those wrongly in the U.S.

DeSantis, though, called for different legislation the Legislature declined to hear. The Legislature gaveled out of a Special Session the Governor called and instead opened a new one to hear Gruters’ bill. The strongest objection by DeSantis is to a provision of the TRUMP Act making Florida’s Agriculture Commissioner the chief immigration officer instead of the Governor. DeSantis said he will veto the bill once he gets it and demand lawmakers pass a new one.

“I've been very supportive of what the administration is doing,” DeSantis said. “I know we have to get the state in a really strong posture to be able to maximize the potential here.”

But Gruters, who spoke to Trump about the bill before it passed, said his bill does everything the White House needs to implement its agenda.

“It’s fixing E-Verify getting $25 million to law enforcement to help with efforts,” Gruters said. “It’s a disservice that one side is being intellectually dishonest with the voters on what this bill does.”

Image courtesy Florida Senate: Joe Gruters on the Senate floor.

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