Mon Jan 27 23:00:00 UTC 2025: **Florida Legislature Rejects DeSantis’s Special Session on Immigration; Passes Weaker Bills**
TALLAHASSEE, FL – In a stunning rebuke of Governor Ron DeSantis, the Florida legislature swiftly ended a special session he called to address President Trump’s immigration crackdown. The GOP-controlled legislature, while supporting Trump’s immigration policies, deemed the special session unnecessary and instead passed its own, less stringent immigration bills. This marks a significant shift in power dynamics, reflecting DeSantis’s diminished influence after his unsuccessful presidential bid.
DeSantis had proposed several measures to align Florida with Trump’s stricter immigration enforcement, including mandating county and city participation in federal deportation programs, criminalizing illegal entry into the state, and requiring identification for money transfers. He called the session a crucial step to “facilitate” the Trump administration’s goals. Eleven bills were initially filed, including the creation of a state immigration czar and allowing the National Guard’s deployment for immigration enforcement.
However, House Speaker Daniel Perez and Senate President Ben Albritton, while acknowledging support for Trump’s agenda, criticized the special session as a “stunt” and prioritized working with the President directly. They passed their own bills, which, according to DeSantis, are “substantially weaker” than his proposals. The legislature also overrode a DeSantis budget veto for the first time in 15 years.
Despite President Trump’s previous public support for DeSantis’s initiative, the governor expressed disappointment with the legislature’s actions, highlighting the weakened nature of their resulting immigration legislation compared to his original proposals. Republican strategists suggest this event signifies DeSantis’s waning power within the state. While DeSantis maintains the urgency of addressing immigration, the legislature’s actions underscore a power shift within Florida’s Republican party, prioritizing alignment with President Trump over the governor’s initiatives.
First Piper 