What Does Florida's SB 1718 Bill Involve?

What Does Bill SB 1718 Involve?

SB 1718 is a bill that was submitted to the Florida State Legislature in March. If passed, it would reinforce the fears expressed by immigrant rights advocacy groups: that Florida could become the state with the toughest immigration law or laws in the United States.

SB 1718 proposes criminalizing undocumented presence and all Florida residents, "not only those who open their home, business, vehicle, or place of worship to a broad category of immigrants," pro-immigrant organizations warn.

It prohibits the use of valid driver's licenses from other states by undocumented immigrants, requires hospitals to collect information on patients' immigration status and submit quarterly reports, and modifies the rules for sharing information about undocumented patients.

The bill also increases fines for employing undocumented immigrants, imposes harsher penalties on repeat offenders of illegal hiring, imposes severe prison sentences on foreign nationals who knowingly use false documentation, mandates the use of the federal E-Verify program, and establishes random audits of businesses to verify E-Verify compliance.

SB 1718 threatens to permanently revoke the operating licenses of businesses that repeatedly hire undocumented workers and bars undocumented individuals from practicing law (referring to Dreamers protected under DACA). It establishes fines and prison sentences for anyone who transports undocumented individuals (it does not explain what happens in mixed-status marriages) and criminalizes undocumented presence even though it is not otherwise a crime.

The bill creates criminal penalties for anyone who houses a broad category of immigrants in their homes, businesses, vehicles, or places of worship, and authorizes county jail sheriffs to collect DNA samples when an immigrant is detained and an ICE detainer is issued.

Analysts estimate that the Legislature will vote on both bills in late May, at the end of the regular legislative session.

We will continue to share updates on this bill as they become available.