Mon Jan 27 22:30:00 UTC 2025: ## Florida Legislature Rejects DeSantis’s Immigration Crackdown, Moves Forward with Own Plan
**Tallahassee, FL** – In a stunning rebuke, the Florida legislature on Monday abruptly ended Governor Ron DeSantis’s special session aimed at enacting a hardline immigration agenda. Republican lawmakers, citing concerns about overreach and a desire to follow President Trump’s policies independently, instead opted to pursue their own immigration bill.
DeSantis, who had called the special session to secure approval for measures mirroring Trump’s immigration stance, saw his proposals effectively shut down. These included creating a new state immigration officer reporting directly to the governor and criminalizing undocumented immigration. Senate President Ben Albritton accused DeSantis of trying to usurp legislative authority, asserting that the legislature would proceed with its own bill, reflecting the “spirit and letter” of President Trump’s policies without the governor’s direct involvement.
House Speaker Daniel Perez echoed concerns about DeSantis’s actions, calling the governor’s early summoning of lawmakers an “overreach.” Both chambers plan to introduce a new bill, reportedly drafted by Senator Joe Gruters, a known DeSantis critic. This bill would still include a state immigration officer, but the position would report to the legislature, not the governor. Wilton Simpson, the state’s agriculture commissioner, is reportedly a candidate for the role.
DeSantis’s proposed measures faced criticism from immigration advocates who condemned them as politically motivated and neglecting the needs of Floridians. The legislature’s actions also follow a weekend of widespread federal immigration raids across the US, resulting in over 950 arrests.
The legislature’s rejection of DeSantis’s immigration proposals is seen as a significant blow to the governor, whose previous unwavering support among state Republicans has waned since his unsuccessful 2024 presidential bid. This power play underscores a growing rift between DeSantis and the Florida legislature.
Further demonstrating their independence, the legislature overwhelmingly overrode DeSantis’s veto of portions of the state budget, marking the first such challenge to his authority since 2019. This included restoring funding for the arts, which DeSantis had significantly cut. The move was praised by Democrats and some Republicans as a defense of legislative independence. The overriding of DeSantis’s veto, along with the rejection of his immigration plan, highlights the shifting political landscape in Florida and the growing distance between the governor and the state’s Republican-controlled legislature.
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