Truckers threaten to boycott Florida over new immigration laws

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has signed a new immigration reform bill, Senate Bill 1718, targeting undocumented immigrants and those who employ them. The law includes increasing penalties for businesses that hire undocumented immigrants as well as requiring hospitals to gather and report data on patients’ immigration status.

Representative Toby Overdorf believes the legislation is necessary due to the “unprecedented flood of illegal immigration into the United States.” However, immigration attorney Renata Castro questions whether the new law will hold up in court, stating that the governor’s office does not have jurisdiction to enforce immigration law.

The new law has already stirred up controversy. Truck driver Rudson Nascinento was among the first to criticize it, stating that it is wrong and that he plans to work outside of Florida as much as possible to avoid the new restrictions. Nascinento is not alone in his sentiments, as several others believe that the new law will have economic impacts on the state.

Despite these concerns, Representative Overdorf does not believe the new law will hurt Florida’s economy. He claims the law will help prevent people from taking advantage of the situation, and that “illegal immigrant situation” allows for illegal immigrants to be employed while legal citizens miss out.

Castro believes that the law will not keep migrants away while retaining their base or large employers in Florida. Instead, the state might face an increase in labor shortage, which would further exacerbate an already critical situation.

The controversial new law is expected to go into effect on July 1. Whether it will remain in effect long-term remains to be seen, with potential court challenges looming.