Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday ratcheted up the pressure on Florida lawmakers to convene a special session addressing illegal immigration, prompted by criticism from within that his plan was "premature" and lacked specifics.
At a press conference in Winter Haven, DeSantis said he was "surprised" top Republican lawmakers had published a letter Monday night condemning his special session. The joint memo, authored by Senate President Ben Albritton and House Speaker Danny Perez, seemingly laid the groundwork for a legislative mutiny, floating the idea that the Legislature—not DeSantis—can set the limits of a special session.
The lawmakers argued that the governor’s proposal, scheduled for Jan. 27, consisted of mere "fragments of ideas" that could be more effectively addressed during the regular session in March.
DeSantis disagreed, instead accusing legislators opposing the special session of shirking their duties.
"If we're gonna drag our feet in the state of Florida, then that means that elected officials are not doing what the voters sent them into office to do," DeSantis said, speaking at a Winter Haven press conference alongside two of his potential appointments to leading offices: Attorney General Ashley Moody for U.S. Senate, and Sen. Blaise Ingoglia to Chief Financial Officer.
He stressed that illegal immigration is a top issue for both him and the incoming Trump administration, telling lawmakers that "Now's your chance" to address it.
"Don't say you'll get around to it in a few months—we need action and we need action now," he continued. "We need to lead. Don't be passive; be bold, be strong."
DeSantis' call for a special session has sparked a rare power struggle between Florida’s executive and legislative branches. After Senate President Albritton and House Speaker Perez kicked off the in-party dissent, Republicans like Senators Randy Fine and Joe Gruters joined in, publicly criticizing the special session as "irresponsible" and a publicity stunt.
The chorus of dissent grew so loud that politicos began to wonder if the Legislature would gavel in the special session—as required by the Governor's call—and then immediately adjourn, as they did in 2010 in opposition to Gov. Charlie Crist's call for a special session.
Enter Trump.
The former and future president took to social media Tuesday to thank DeSantis, urging other governors to follow his lead. This was a massive boost for DeSantis, whose stand-off with the Republican super-majority seemed to have a dubiously unsure outcome.
During his Wednesday press conference, DeSantis aimed to address lawmakers' worries.
He delved into a lengthy list of anti-illegal immigration policies he wants addressed for the special session, scheduled to start Jan. 27 and go no later than Jan. 31. These include requiring local law enforcement to participate in enforcing federal immigration laws and enacting state-level penalties for illegal immigration, which means empowering local and state authorities to detain and deport illegal immigrants.
This may be a tall task for the Florida Legislature. While state authorities can work with and follow federal law, immigration is under federal jurisdiction. Future state laws expanding that power to local officials could conflict with federal purview.
DeSantis' other suggestions include appointing an immigration officer to coordinate policy with federal authorities, broadening the definition of "gangs", creating a rebuttable presumption that illegal immigrants are a flight risk, cracking down on voter fraud by illegal immigrants, and creating an ID verification for money being sent or received internationally.
Notably, DeSantis did not provide details on other issues he had initially mentioned as part of the special session, including condo reform, citizen petitions, and hurricane relief, leaving questions about the scope of the session.
