A bill that would facilitate the relocation of undocumented aliens from Florida to other states now awaits Gov. Ron DeSantis’ signature to become law.
Filed by State Sen. Blaise Ingoglia (R-Spring Hill), SB 6-B, the Unauthorized Alien Transport Program allocates $10 million to create the program within the Florida Division of Emergency Management to contract for services to implement the program. The measure also allows the Division to adopt rules pertaining to the program’s implementation.
On Feb. 8, the measure was passed by the Florida Senate by a 27 – 12 margin.
The Florida House of Representatives passed it on Feb. 10 by a vote of 77 to 34.
According to Ingoglia, the bill was proposed to “mitigate the effects of the U.S. Border crisis on the State of Florida.”
“Florida is currently in a state of emergency because of the ineptness and the incompetence of the federal government when it comes to immigration policy,” Ingoglia said during a committee hearing on the bill.
“The state of Florida is not, and never will be, a sanctuary state (and) it’s time for sanctuary cities and sanctuary states to put their money where their mouth is.”
Silvana Caldera, a policy strategist at the ACLU of Florida, called the measure an abuse of power.
“This bill is an egregious abuse of power by Governor DeSantis,” Caldera said in a written statement. “At a time when Floridians have so many crucial needs, such as access to affordable housing and healthcare, the Governor has prioritized using state resources to inhumanely and unnecessarily transport migrant families out of Florida.”
Gov. Ron DeSantis has until Feb. 25 to sign SB 6-B into law.
The measure takes effect upon being signed into law.
