Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has announced a special session for state lawmakers to assist in carrying out President-elect Donald Trump's plans for a swift crackdown on immigration. Trump is set to issue over 100 executive orders on his first day in office, focusing on border security, deportations, and other policy priorities.
While the Trump administration has promised mass deportations, there are lingering questions about the logistics of deporting the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in the country.
DeSantis has scheduled the special session for the week of January 27, immediately following Trump's inauguration, to ensure that state lawmakers are ready to help implement the new administration's policies promptly.
The governor emphasized the need for state and local officials in Florida to assist in enforcing the nation's immigration laws. He mentioned the possibility of imposing additional duties on local officials and providing funding to support their efforts.
DeSantis also stated his readiness to remove elected officials from office if they fail to comply with the new immigration mandates. He suggested the potential deployment of the Florida National Guard and the Florida State Guard for in-state enforcement actions and proposed allocating significant funding to enhance enforcement and detention activities.
Furthermore, DeSantis called for measures to ensure accountability for individuals violating anti-sanctuary policies and to eliminate incentives for illegal immigration into Florida.
In addition to immigration-related matters, the governor urged Florida lawmakers to address hurricane relief efforts, reforms in the state's condominium market, and revisions to the citizen ballot initiative process for proposing constitutional amendments.
DeSantis highlighted the need for these legislative actions following concerns about a 2024 ballot measure related to abortion rights that was allegedly impacted by fraudulent activities.
