Ron DeSantis Pushes Immigration Crackdown, Florida GOP Leaders Call It ‘Completely Irresponsible’
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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is determined to align himself with President-elect Donald Trump’s immigration agenda, but key GOP legislative leaders in Florida are not on board. DeSantis announced on Monday his plan to call a special legislative session for the week of January 27, shortly after Trump’s inauguration, to prepare state lawmakers to support the incoming administration’s immigration crackdown.
“State and local officials in Florida must help the Trump administration enforce our nation’s immigration laws,” DeSantis declared. “In order to do that effectively, we are going to need legislation to impose additional duties on local officials and provide funding for those local officials.”
According to The Associated Press, The governor even threatened to suspend local law enforcement officials who refuse to cooperate with the effort. This warning is not without precedent, as DeSantis has previously removed independently elected local prosecutors over policy disagreements.
Despite his push, resistance from Florida’s Republican legislative leadership has been swift and decisive. According to the Orlando Sentinel, Senate President Ben Albritton and House Speaker Danny Perez issued a joint statement denouncing the governor’s call for a special session.
“It is completely irresponsible to get out ahead of any announcements President Trump will make, especially when uninformed or ill-timed state action could potentially impair or impede the success of President Trump’s forthcoming efforts to end illegal immigration,” the legislative leaders said.
DeSantis’s urgency may stem from his desire to remain politically relevant within the Republican Party. His governorship was secured with Trump’s 2018 endorsement, but his failed 2024 presidential bid against Trump left him politically battered. The contentious primary included a series of insults between the two, and DeSantis lost decisively.
Political observers have not hesitated to highlight the apparent erosion of DeSantis’s influence. Sentinel columnist Scott Maxwell mocked the governor’s inability to rally his own party around the proposed session. “For those who questioned whether Ron DeSantis’ influence has waned … DeSantis is now a lame-duck governor who got pummeled by Trump and had his 2028 ambitions dashed as well.
The GOP Speaker & Senate prez shut him down in just a few hours, saying: ‘completely irresponsible,’” Maxwell posted on X. As Trump prepares to re-enter the White House, DeSantis’s push for swift action may signal his attempt to repair political standing, but the pushback from Florida’s GOP leaders suggests he faces a steep uphill battle.
