If the bill becomes law, Florida would also refuse to recognize any out-of-state licenses issued to undocumented individuals. Authorities would be ordered to take DNA samples from undocumented people who are being held in jails or detention centers on orders from Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Finally, the bill mandates Health insurance– accepting hospitals to ask patients to indicate their citizenship status. Ostensibly intended as a cost tracker for care for undocumented patients, the bill says the question must be accompanied by an assurance that the patient’s response will not affect care or lead to a report to immigration authorities. However, given the extremity of the rest of the bill, including with regard to criminalizing people who harbor undocumented people “anywhere”, the guarantee does not welcome full confidence.
“Governor Ron DeSantis and his fellow Republicans continue to show that they are more focused on attacking and vilifying immigrants and Latinos to advance their political agenda than on solving the real problems that hurt Floridians,” said the president of the Hispanic Caucus of the Congress, Nanette Barragán, and the vice president of politics, Darren. Soto, who represents Florida’s 9th district, in a statement.