Florida’s governor signed a bill Friday that increases prison and prison sentences for immigrants living in the U.S. illegally if they are convicted of driving without a license or a felony.
Ron DeSantis has frequently criticized the Biden administration over its response to the border with Mexico, sending Florida law enforcement officers and the National Guard to Texas. The Republican governor, who last month ended his bid for his party’s presidential nomination, also airlifted immigrants who entered Texas illegally to Massachusetts and California.
“We will not tolerate illegal immigration, let alone illegal activity by illegal aliens who should not be here in the first place. The bill I signed. [on Friday] It further strengthens Florida’s ability to comply with the law,” DeSantis said.
The driver’s license bill would increase the maximum penalty for those convicted of driving without a license twice or more from 60 days in prison to one year. This also applies to U.S. citizens and immigrants who are legally in the country, but undocumented immigrants are prohibited from obtaining a license in the first place in Florida.
Some immigrant advocacy groups have criticized the bill, saying it puts public safety at risk because many immigrants who are barred from getting a driver’s license continue to drive without being tested or insured. There is. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 19 states and Washington, D.C., issue driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants.
Renata Bozzetto of the Florida Immigration Coalition said in a recent statement, “True safety is not about punitive enforcement, but about driver education, issuing driver’s licenses to all eligible drivers, access to insurance, etc. This will be achieved through comprehensive measures.” “Rather than criminalizing individuals, Florida’s Republican Legislature is committed to working to promote driver safety, address disparities in the licensing process, and ensure fair access to transportation for all residents. We should try to invest.”
Another bill would increase maximum prison sentences for immigrants who are convicted of felonies after being deported for entering the country illegally.
For example, immigrants convicted of low-level felonies, such as simple robbery or auto theft, would face up to 15 years in prison instead of the usual maximum sentence of five years. Those immigrants convicted of intermediate-level felonies, such as aggravated assault, would be sentenced to up to 30 years in prison, instead of the usual maximum sentence of 15 years. And for more advanced felonies, such as armed robbery, such immigrants could be sentenced to life in prison, rather than the usual maximum sentence of 30 years.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida and the Florida Immigration Coalition did not respond to requests for comment on the bill.
