That undocumented immigrants do not have access to university tuition, driver’s licenses or community ID cards. These are elements of Governor DeSantis’ new bill. The one who is already causing controversy.
Governor DeSantis’ recent announcement on immigration provoked not only rejection from affected immigrants and activists who support them, but also backlash among senior figures in his own party..
Gabriela Pacheco, Director of Advocacy, Communications and Development at TheDream.US
“It’s very cruel and I don’t think it’s a way of doing politics that helps the state or the people.”
“Why would we subsidize non-US citizens when we want to make sure we can keep education accessible to our own people,” DeSantis said.
Gabriela Pacheco supported Republican Juan Carlos Zapata’s bill, starting in 2003, which became law in 2014, was a boon for dreamers and had the support of then lawmaker and current Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Núñez .
“I hope the whole community will raise their voices and say: You already passed, if you want to be president that’s fine, but don’t damage the state of Florida, to gain political points”.
Republican Senator Rick Scott also reacted to this question. From Tampa, he said he was proud to have signed the law when he was governor and would still do so today.
DeSantis’ proposal also seeks to ban the issuance of ID cards issued by certain Florida cities and counties, as well as driver’s licenses. Furthermore, he wishes to ignore similar documents provided by other States.
The mayor of Miami Dade, the county that last year approved the granting of community ID cards, told us in a statement that “the community ID program does not serve immigrants exclusively, it is a important resource for residents who have no other form of identification, residency, and they also cannot drive.The elderly, children under 18, or persons with disabilities.The county does not apply for the status of immigration to provide a community identity card.
Others affected would include survivors of domestic violence, ex-offenders, homeless people, youth in foster care and transgender people.