Florida is looking at the possibility of loosening some child labor laws to replace undocumented workers.
The state has been penalizing employers hiring undocumented workers, leading to businesses struggling to fill jobs that are often paid poorly and viewed as undesirable.
Both Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and the Republican-led legislature are now looking at children as a possible solution to the issue, according to CNN.
If the bill passes, children as young as 14 would be allowed to work overnight shifts, even on school days. State law currently prohibits them from working earlier than 6.30 a.m. or after 11 p.m.
DeSantis, who supports the law, has utilized rhetoric similar to that of President Donald Trump as he has spoken out about taking a harsher stance on immigration, which economists have warned could lead to labor shortages and rising inflation.
Last week, at a panel discussion alongside Trump border czar Tom Homan, DeSantis said, “Why do we say we need to import foreigners, even import them illegally, when you know, teenagers used to work at these resorts, college students should be able to do this stuff,” according to the Tampa Bay Times.
In 2023, a law was passed in the state that requires employers with more than 25 members of staff to check their immigration status using the E-Verify federal database. Employers not following the law face $1,000 daily fines until they prove their staff are legal citizens.
“Yes, we had people that left because of those rules, but you’ve also been able to hire other people,” said DeSantis during the panel discussion. “And what’s wrong with expecting our young people to be working part-time now? I mean, that’s how it used to be when I was growing up.”
Florida has been loosening child labor protections for quite some time. The legislature passed a law last year that allows home-schooled teenagers between the ages of 16 and 17 to work at any time of day.
The U.S. Department of Labor Statistics has found that the number of child labor law violations in the Sunshine State has almost tripled in the last few years.
The law, which was debated by the legislature on Tuesday, includes changes removing work time restrictions for home-schooled teenagers between the ages of 14 and 15, and it also removes guaranteed meal breaks for teens between the ages of 16 and 17.
