Legislature backs expanding migrant relocation program

After a sometimes-emotional debate about immigrants and the nation’s border policies, state lawmakers gave final approval Friday to a plan that likely will lead to Florida transporting more migrants to “sanctuary” areas of the country.

The Republican-controlled House voted 77-34 to approve the plan (SB 6-B), giving a victory to DeSantis. The Senate passed the bill Wednesday.

House Democrats called the measure a “political ploy” to help DeSantis, who is considered a potential 2024 Republican presidential candidate and frequently criticizes the Biden administration on immigration issues.

“This bill is indefensible,” Rep. Christopher Benjamin, D-Miami Gardens, said. “The bill plays games with human beings’ lives.”

But Republicans said it was about curbing undocumented immigrants from coming to Florida and the federal government’s failure to prevent a flood of people crossing the nation’s borders.

“It’s a terrible, terrible situation all brought on by the lack of leadership at the federal level,” House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, said during a news conference Friday.

When signed by DeSantis, the bill will create an “Unauthorized Alien Transport Program” and provide $10 million to transport migrants from Florida and other states to sanctuary areas.

The bill emerged after the DeSantis administration sparked a national controversy in September by flying about 50 migrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts. The bill also could help blunt a legal challenge to those flights.