{"id":14049,"date":"2017-04-28T14:06:09","date_gmt":"2017-04-28T18:06:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/live-immigrationreform.pantheonsite.io\/?p=14049"},"modified":"2018-12-28T12:51:32","modified_gmt":"2018-12-28T17:51:32","slug":"florida-house-gearing-up-to-ban-sanctuary-policies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.immigrationreform.com\/2017\/04\/28\/florida-house-gearing-up-to-ban-sanctuary-policies\/","title":{"rendered":"Florida House Gearing Up To Ban Sanctuary Policies"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Florida House of Representatives is gearing up to ban sanctuary policies<\/a> in the state after the House Judiciary Committee approved House Bill (HB) 697<\/a> on April 25. HB 697, also known as the \u201cRule of Law Adherence Act,\u201d was introduced by Representative Larry Metz (R-32) earlier this year. The measure will ensure the state fully participates in immigration enforcement and will eliminate policies that impede enforcement efforts in the state.<\/p>\n

Specifically, HB 697 requires all state and local entities to comply with and support immigration enforcement to the full extent permitted by law. The measure also prohibits state and local entities from stopping or limiting public officials\u2019 ability to maintain or communicate immigration status information with the federal government. Law enforcement agencies, under HB 697, are also required to comply with detainers issued by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.<\/p>\n

HB 697 also guarantees \u201cwhistle-blower\u201d protections to any state or local employees that reports violation of the Act. Any state or local entity that violates HB 697 may be subject of fines up to $5,000 per day they are determined to be in violation of the Act.<\/p>\n

Representative Metz introduced HB 697 to support immigration enforcement and maintain Florida\u2019s commitment to the rule of law. \u201cIt\u2019s all-important in my view that the rule of law be followed,\u201d Metz said. \u201cIf we simply say, \u2018If you can get here, you can stay here,\u2019 and we don\u2019t care about the legal distinctions, we\u2019re going to have more and more people coming here illegally and fewer coming here through the legal immigration system.\u201d<\/p>\n

Senator Aaron Bean, who introduced a similar bill<\/a> in the Senate, also commented on the proposal<\/a>. \u201cThe one thing that everybody should know in our country is: We can\u2019t choose which laws we\u2019ll obey or which laws we don\u2019t obey,\u201d said Senator Bean.<\/p>\n

State lawmakers around the country have made eliminating expensive sanctuary policies a priority this legislative session. Policies that block immigration enforcement efforts are especially expensive in Florida. In 2014, the Federation for American Immigration Reform estimated that Florida taxpayers pay as much as $5.2 billion annually<\/a> in costs associated with illegal immigration. Florida has one of the highest populations of illegal aliens in the country, behind California, Texas, and New York.<\/p>\n

HB 697 has been put on the third reading calendar and must be approved by the full Florida House before it can be sent to the Florida Senate for consideration. The Florida House passed a similar bill prohibiting sanctuary policies last year, but it failed to advance due to insufficient support in the Florida Senate.