Florida’s New Bill Turns the State Into a Border Patrol Hub

Florida’s New Bill Turns the State Into a Border Patrol Hub

Florida’s latest legislative move is raising eyebrows. The newly introduced HB 1B bill is making the state a literal extension of ICE. The bill places the Commissioner of Agriculture in charge of immigration enforcement, essentially giving Florida a role in policing federal immigration laws.

Here’s the breakdown:

State prisons and jails? They’ll now house detainees awaiting deportation, thanks to an initiative that tracks empty beds and rents them out to ICE.

Local sheriffs and police chiefs will be enlisted in a new council: The State Immigration Enforcement Council. This group will advise on how to ramp up detention beds and train officers to enforce federal immigration laws.

Training: Florida will partner with the federal government and the Department of Military Affairs to turn Florida into a training hub for law enforcement.

Price tag: The bill comes with a hefty half-billion-dollar price tag.

But that’s not all—out-of-state tuition waivers for students who are not U.S. citizens or lawfully present? Gone.

In short, Florida is doubling down on immigration enforcement, with taxpayer money backing it all. What could possibly go wrong?