TALLAHASSEE, FL --- A new proposal urging the federal government to tighten up immigration laws and secure the Southern border has reached the 2024 Legislative Session. If passed, the memorial would be sent to the U.S. Congress illustrating Florida's support for a tougher immigration stance.
"What we can do as a state is stop creating incentives for people to come over." The memorial's sponsor, Sen. Blaise Ingoglia (R-Spring Hill), told The Floridian Wednesday afternoon.
"If we don't continue creating deterrents for people coming over illegally, then what we're doing is we're de facto creating magnets for people to come over. " He continued, referencing a 357% increase in migrant encounters from July 2018 to July 2023.
"We're not a sanctuary city or state, we're not going to give you all of the benefits that they would have over there," Sen. Ingoglia told the Floridian, discussing the economy of California versus Florida, "And this is the hypocrisy, because [Democrats] yell and they scream, and they say 'we're a sanctuary city' until someone calls them on it: DeSantis called them on it."
While SM 598 has mostly received bipartisan support, some Democrats believe that the federal immigration problem is not for Florida to solve.
Florida lawmakers continue pushing stricter immigration reform policies
"If we don't continue creating deterrents for people coming over illegally, then what we're doing is we're de facto creating magnets for people to come over. "— Sen. Blaise Ingoglia @GovGoneWild
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— The Floridian (@Floridianpress) January 11, 2024
"I don't think we have a place at the table when it comes to immigration," Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book said at the first committee appearance for the proposal. However, she recognized that "things need to be done differently than they've been done," and voted in favor of the memorial.
Democratic Sen. Geraldine Thompson echoed her colleague in committee, stating, "I think we need to really, really be focusing on some of the very serious issues in the state rather than sending messages or signals to the current administration." She referenced the non-binding quality of memorials, in which the federal government is not required to act upon the proposal.
SM 598 advances to the Rules Committee before its final step on the Senate floor. The companion memorial in the House, however, has yet to see committee.
