Despite not being located along the U.S.-Mexico border, Florida is creatively addressing illegal immigration, and states would be wise to follow suit as the Biden administration continues to take a wrecking ball to the nation\u2019s southern border security and immigration enforcement apparatus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Florida has made addressing illegal\nimmigration a top priority, and Governor Ron DeSantis (R) has become the key\narchitect and executer of Florida\u2019s anti-illegal immigration policies. While\nmany of his policy moves are in line with mainstream ideas, DeSantis has led\nsome unconventional initiatives that are making significant impacts. The\neffectiveness of these policies can be debated, but what can\u2019t be debated is\nhis desire to hold the Biden administration\u2019s feet to the fire. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When apprehension figures at the southern border reached its largest totals ever this summer<\/a>, Governor DeSantis responded swiftly. He signed legislation<\/a> that made E-Verify\u2014an online federal program that checks the legal and work authorization of employees\u2014into law. It couldn\u2019t have come at better time as the Biden administration\u2019s \u201ccatch and release\u201d policies were sending hundreds of thousands<\/a> of illegal aliens into the interior, where many ended up in Florida looking to work without authorization and legal status. E-Verify is not federally mandated, which is why DeSantis took matters in his own hands. <\/p>\n\n\n\n During this same period, DeSantis, deployed<\/a> 50 law enforcement officials and state resources to the southern border to help address the border crisis. The move affirmed that when the federal government fails to protect the southern border (which in effect, is its citizens), states can and should use enumerated state powers to protect the homeland. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But DeSantis didn\u2019t stop here. When it was reported that the Biden administration was secretly flying<\/a> migrants from the southern border in the middle of the night to states in the interior, the governor signed<\/a> an \u201cemergency order\u201d that blocked the issuance or renewal of state licenses to Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) facilities that housed illegal alien children from these flights (who, in some cases<\/a>, may not even be children). This move was made to prevent the Biden administration from sending large numbers of migrants to the state and from taking advantage of limited facilities and resources that are meant for American citizens. The initiative received significant praise from Angel Families<\/a>, those who have lost loved ones at the hands of illegal aliens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To further crackdown on the facilitators of the Biden Border Crisis, DeSantis recently announced<\/a> six legislative proposals that targeted corporations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Combined, these proposals would require these entities to compensate the state of Florida to cover all costs that illegal immigration imposes on taxpayers, improve immigration status data in county and local jails, expand E-Verify, and limit state and local agencies from conducting business with these groups. <\/p>\n\n\n\n