NORTH MIAMI, Fla. – With only three days until new laws take effect in Florida, hundreds of South Florida residents gathered in North Miami on Wednesday evening to learn about one of the most controversial, Senate Bill 1718.
To crack down on businesses hiring undocumented workers, SB 1718 will also require private employers with 25 or more employees that are making new hires to use E-Verify, the federal online database that employers use to confirm whether someone is eligible to work in the U.S.
The bill also invalidates out-of-state driver’s licenses for undocumented immigrants.
“My constituents that are attending the meeting, they think that the law is inhuman,” said State Rep. Marie Woodson (D).
Woodson told Local 10 News that immigrants living in the U.S. are concerned that their work and healthcare could be at risk.
“They are afraid and that’s what I’m hearing. A lot of people are afraid and they want to leave the state of Florida,” she said.
Ahead of SB 1718 taking effect, Joseph says the new law is going to make it harder for families to put food on their tables.
“It makes it so that everything becomes more expensive,” said State Rep. Dotie Joseph (D). “So, whether you’re talking about the food on your table, it’s going to make it harder to get the produce to your table and it makes it more expensive.”
But for Republicans supporting the law and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ policy of relocating migrants to other states, Florida is stepping up to address an issue where they say the federal government has fallen short.
“There are many people who have done what they’re supposed to. They’ve followed the law, they’ve gone through the process, their due time,” said Tom Powers, Chairman of the Broward County Republican Party.
A graphic on DeSantis’ website states that employers who fail to use E-Verify will be fined $1,000 a day. For workers, it will be a felony to use a false ID to get a job.
For more information about SB 1718, click here.