Florida’s new DeSantis-backed laws address immigration, guns and more

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Employers who hire immigrants in the country illegally will face tough punishments and gun owners will have more freedoms when more than 200 new Florida laws take effect Saturday, many of which Governor Ron DeSantis will highlight as he seeks the Republican presidential nomination.

DeSantis has taken a hard line on illegal immigration as he campaigns, saying he'll finish the Mexican border wall his one-time supporter, Donald Trump, promised to build.

He's also carried out political gimmicks like flying immigrants from Texas to blue states, supposedly before they can get to Florida.

The new employer penalties are a chance for DeSantis to show he doesn't just talk tough on illegal immigration, but he's put in place what some critics say is the harshest state law in the country.

The new law expands worker verification requirements, among other provisions.

The governor's office blames the Biden administration for what it says is a crisis at the southern border.

“Any business that exploits this crisis by employing illegal aliens instead of Floridians will be held accountable,” said DeSantis spokesman Jeremy Redfern.

But in a state where the largest industries — tourism, agriculture and construction — rely heavily on immigrant labour, there are concerns that the economy could be disrupted when employers are already having a hard time filling open jobs. Florida's unemployment rate is 2.6%.

The law forces any company with 25 or more employees to use E-Verify to document new hires' eligibility to work or face a loss of business license or fines of $1,000 per day per employee.

The law also forces hospitals that accept Medicaid to ask patients if they are citizens or legally in the United States and voids drivers licenses issued by other states to people in the country illegally.

Protesters have rallied around the state. Dozens of people on Friday waved signs and Mexican, Cuban and American flags in front of the historic Capitol.

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