DeSantis Proposes Human Smuggling Crackdown, Mandatory E-Verify, Ban on Driver’s Licenses for Illegal Aliens

Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has issued a set of proposals to crack down on illegal immigration across the state of Florida, blasting President Joe Biden for “reckless … open border policies.”

DeSantis detailed the list of legislative proposals during a press conference in Jacksonville on Thursday, urging Florida state legislators to approve the initiatives that would increase criminal penalties for human smugglers, enforce a statewide ban on employers hiring illegal aliens, and prohibit counties from issuing driver’s licenses to illegal aliens, among other things.

“I think we’re going to be able to do more in the next couple of months when the legislature reconvenes than anyone’s been able to do in the modern history of Florida,” DeSantis said.

DeSantis Illegal Immigratio… by John Binder

In particular, DeSantis’s proposal would make knowingly transporting, concealing, or harboring an illegal alien a third-degree felony in Florida and a second-degree felony if the illegal alien is a minor.

“We also say that it’s a separate offense for each individual transported, concealed, or harbored, and then when people are being transported, even though they may not have violated this, you know, they’re gonna be detained as material witnesses,” DeSantis explained.

“… [W]e need to update our laws to be able to get this done,” he continued.

In addition, DeSantis is hoping to score what would be a huge legislative victory by proposing mandatory E-Verify for all employers in Florida — a plan that went before state legislators in 2020.

At the time, DeSantis had asked legislators to require all public and private employers to verify that their employees and new hires were not illegal aliens. Republicans, after fierce lobbying from the agriculture and tourism industries, watered the proposal down to only apply to companies contracted by the state.

Nonetheless, DeSantis signed the bill into law.

His latest mandatory E-Verify proposal would make it a felony for an illegal alien to use a fake green card, visa, or Social Security Number (SNN) to pass through the employment verification system. If an employer violates the requirements two times in a two-year span, their license can be revoked.  

“If you have the ability to have different types of enticements, you’re gonna end up having more people that are going to want to come illegally,” DeSantis said.

Further, the proposal prohibits counties from issuing driver’s licenses to illegal aliens, it bans illegal aliens from being able to practice law, and it blocks illegal aliens from securing out-of-state tuition waivers to attend universities and colleges in Florida.

Illegal aliens with driver’s licenses issued from another state would have those licenses invalidated under DeSantis’s proposal, a measure ensuring that law enforcement could take an illegal alien into custody even if they are driving with an out-of-state driver’s license.

DeSantis slammed local governments in Florida for “trying to use nonprofits use their funds … and have nonprofit groups create ID cards for people here illegally.”

“Florida’s constitution correctly requires you to be an American citizen and that should be just an obvious thing,” he continued.

Governor Ron DeSantis / Facebook

Separately, the proposal would require those registering to vote to affirm that they are a citizen of the United States and a Florida resident. Such a change would come as a number of Democrat-controlled cities look to allow illegal aliens to vote in municipal elections.

DeSantis also wants to see hospitals in Florida collect data and regularly submit reports to the state which would detail the impact of illegal immigration on hospital systems and costs to taxpayers.

The slate of legislative actions comes as DeSantis most recently signed into law a measure that authorizes Florida officials to transport illegal aliens to sanctuary jurisdictions across the U.S.

Similarly, last year, DeSantis signed into law a prohibition on local and state government from contracting with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and companies that facilitate illegal immigration for the federal government.

Hannah Bleau is a reporter for Breitbart News.

John Binder is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at jbinder@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter here.