State Sen. Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton, who recently said he has a bill in the works based on Arizona’s S.B. 1070, tells The Florida Independent that he will move forward with his legislation, despite a judge’s decision to block parts of S.B. 1070 from going into effect.

“If I read everything correctly, the judge said the Arizona law would hamper federal enforcement. What she doesn’t understand is that the federal government isn’t enforcing immigration law,” Sen. Bennett says. “I’m disappointed because more state laws like S.B. 1070 would force the federal government to do what it isn’t doing, enforce the law.”

The senator adds, “I’ll have another go at introducing the [immigration bill] proposal in the next legislative session. The Florida law I want to do is not the same as the Arizona law. It has a lot of the same content, though, but I don’t believe we should stop people because of the color of their skin or their hair. I believe police should be able to detain undocumented people convicted of felonies and high misdemeanors.”

Sen. Bennett says he was not familiar with the proposed immigration bill state Sen. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland, and state Rep. Kevin Ambler, R-Tampa, wanted to introduce in the recent legislative special session.