On July 1, Florida will enact a stringent immigration law (S.B. 1718), making it the most stringent law of its kind in the United States. This legislation will have significant repercussions for undocumented immigrants, particularly in the areas of employment, healthcare, and transportation. Notably, the law will invalidate out-of-state driver’s licenses and deny funding for unique identification documents for immigrants with unregulated immigration status.
- Section 1: Funding Restrictions for Identification Documents The first section of the law specifies that no county or municipality shall allocate funds to issue identification cards or documents to individuals who fail to provide proof of lawful presence in the United States.
- Section 3: Invalidity of Out-of-State Driver’s Licenses Section 3 of S.B. 1718 establishes that if an out-of-state driver’s license belongs to a class issued exclusively to undocumented immigrants unable to demonstrate lawful presence in the United States, it will not be deemed valid in Florida. Consequently, individuals holding such licenses will not be authorized to operate motor vehicles within the state.
Enforcement and Penalties Furthermore, the legislation empowers law enforcement officers and authorized representatives to issue citations to individuals driving with invalid licenses. Driving without a valid license in Florida can result in imprisonment for up to 60 days and a fine of $500.
President Biden’s dereliction of duty at the border is costing Americans their lives. In Florida, we’ve taken concrete action to protect our communities by:
– Relocating illegal aliens to sanctuary cities in other states
– Enforcing E-Verify
– Establishing a task force to… pic.twitter.com/DCU6YUBxFT— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) May 10, 2023
Impact on Transportation of Undocumented Immigrants Regarding the transportation of undocumented immigrants, the law designates the act of smuggling individuals into Florida as a third-degree felony. Specifically, it stipulates that:
“Any individual who knowingly and willfully transports into this state a person whom they know, or reasonably should know, has unlawfully entered the United States and has not undergone inspection by the federal government since their illegal entry from another country shall be guilty of a third-degree felony, punishable by law.”
It is important to note that this section does not differentiate between family members and instead focuses on the transportation of undocumented immigrants from other states or countries into Florida, i.e., entering the state. Consequently, accompanying an undocumented immigrant into Florida would constitute a third-degree felony offense.
However, the Florida Immigrant Coalition clarifies that it will not be considered a felony to transport individuals with unregulated immigration status within the state of Florida for activities such as grocery shopping, visiting parks, attending church services, etc., as long as it does not involve bringing an undocumented immigrant into the state from another entity or country.
Further Information and Legal Consultation For more comprehensive information on the new immigration law, we recommend reviewing the full text available on the Florida Senate website. If you have any inquiries about your specific circumstances or how this law may impact you, we strongly advise seeking guidance from an attorney specializing in immigration law.
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