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AILA Doc. No. 23052200 | Dated May 22, 2023
On May 9, 2023, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 1718 (FL 1718) into law. FL 1718 is a comprehensive effort to restrict the ability of undocumented individuals to live and work in Florida by, inter alia, dramatically enhancing the ability of state law enforcement to enforce immigration laws, requiring hospitals to maintain data on patients’ immigration status, mandating the use of E-Verify by Florida employers with over 25 employees, restricting access to Florida drivers licenses (as well as State Bar licenses), and adding state civil and criminal penalties for violations of its provisions. A summary of the major provisions of FL 1718, which will take effect on July 1, 2023, is as follows:
While the full impact of FL 1718 on Florida residents is difficult to quantify, its impact on the state’s economy is likely to be devastating. A 2019 report by the Migration Policy Institute estimates that there are over 700,000 undocumented individuals in the Florida workforce and that almost one in four workers in the construction industry are undocumented. Similarly, a 2021 report the New American Economy Research Fund indicated that approximately 42% of Florida’s farm workers are undocumented.
Cite as AILA Doc. No. 23052200.
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