Presidential Debates and Law: The Florida ICE News You Need to Know

Immigration is not easy, especially in Florida, where Governor DeSantis has developed a reputation for being hard on undocumented immigrants. Recent laws passed in the state put obstacles in the way of these immigrants receiving Medicare or being able to drive. 

With presidential debates and an election fast approaching, hardline stances against immigration reform have not softened. The Florida ICE might even ramp up its actions.

This means that brushing up on immigration law is important, especially if you or someone you know is in Florida. We'll discuss some of the most recent Florida immigration news here. 

Militarizing the Issue

A handful of governors have stated that they'd be willing to involve aspects of the military in immigration control. The most prominent of these have been Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Texas Governor Greg Abbot.

A bill currently on the floor of the Florida legislature would allow the governor to send the State Guard outside the state. The State Guard was formed to protect state territory in 1940. This was done by adding an amendment to the National Defense Act of 1916.

DeSantis revived the Florida State Guard in 2022 and vastly expanded it.

Exploitative Labor

Another charge leveled at immigration detention centers is that they use forced labor to function. A recent Supreme Court case struck down a Washington detention facility's ability to use detained immigrants as labor for the meager wage of $1 per day. The company that owns this facility is headquartered in Florida, so detainees captured in Florida ICE raids could ultimately end up being little more than slaves. 

The court decided that the inmates, when performing labor for the facility, qualified as employees, and are entitled to minimum wage. This is great news because Washington's minimum wage is set to rise to more than $16 per hour this year. 

The recent Washington case ends a small portion of a practice that's been going on for years. A report from 2018 claims that large-scale accusations of slave labor in ICE facilities have been occurring for years.

The good news is that there are immigration bonds that you can pay to get someone out of ICE detention pending trial. Afterwards, get a lawyer. 

Border Standoff

The biggest threat to immigration law has been officials outright ignoring the law. The most prominent examples of this have occurred in Texas, where Governor Abbot made headlines by bussing ICE detainees to cities like Chicago and New York. 

Now, Abbot is building razor wire fences near the US-Mexico border against the President's orders. Several Republican governors have thrown their support behind Abbot, including DeSantis. 

Florida ICE News

The issue of immigration will likely be a major topic of debate in the run-up to the Presidential election. Many anti-immigration government officials, including those in Florida, have started cracking down on undocumented immigrants in preparation.

While there has been some pushback, many of the more extreme elements in the anti-immigration movement aren't backing down. 

Time will tell what will happen with this issue, but immigration bonds are still an option if someone you know is being detained by ICE. If you need an immigration bond, come to us.