The Republican Party of Sarasota County has launched a petition supporting the passage of an Arizona-style immigration enforcement law for Florida.
Miami-Dade’s legislative delegation yesterday discussed immigration reform — another signal that the controversial issue will be important in Florida’s 2012 legislative session.
Immigration-enforcement bills face long odds of being passed in the closing days of the legislative session.
In a press release issued on Wednesday, City of Miami Mayor Tomás Regalado says he opposes the current proposed state legislation on immigration enforcement.
Dozens of immigrants and advocates left their seats to kneel in prayer as the House Economic Affairs Commitee began final debate on an immigration-enforcement measure sponsored by Rep. William Snyder, R-Stuart. Please don’t let it pass, they asked.
Their prayers went unanswered.
Committees in the Florida House and Senate are set to take up controversial immigration bills this week. The tougher of the two, which is being carried through the House by Rep. William Snyder, R-Stuart, is now on Thursday’s crowded Economic Affairs Committee agenda, after languishing for weeks.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement data received through a Freedom of Information Act request shows that Secure Communities, a federal immigration enforcement program, detains and deports people who are not criminals.
Approximately 200 farm workers, students, religious leaders, immigrant advocates and elected officials used a community forum in Florida City Thursday evening to say once again that they wholly reject the current immigration-enforcement bills proposed by Florida legislators.
State Rep. Esteban Bovo said today that he will wait for the Miami-Dade County Commission to decide when to hold a special election before making his mind up on resigning from the Florida legislature in order to run for that seat (see this report from The Miami Herald).
In the meantime, Bovo, R-Hialeah, said he will be stepping down as head of the legislature’s Hispanic caucus, which will meet later today to choose a new leader.
This week on Florida Watch, I join host Doug Miles and Dennis Maley of The Bradenton Times, as well as Sarasota Herald-Tribune Opinion Editor Tom Tryon, to discuss the Florida legislature’s various immigration-enforcement bills and whether the still-unfolding disaster in Japan will affect the Sunshine State’s nuclear industry. Check it out after the jump!
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