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U.S. NEWS Saturday 15 June 2019

Florida governor signs bill

banning sanctuary policies

By BRENDAN FARRINGTON Trump ally and who cam- At the bill signing, he said
Associated Press paigned across the state the bill was about “mak-
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — for DeSantis, also spoke at ing sure we protect Ameri-
All law enforcement agen- the ceremony. can citizens from the very
cies in Florida will have to “It felt more like a political bad, criminal illegal aliens
cooperate with federal im- rally than an actual bill sign- that are here committing
migration authorities under ing,” said Democratic state the worst crimes imagin-
a bill signed by Gov. Ron Rep. Anna Eskamani, who able. This is not about il-
DeSantis on Friday during watched the event on her legal aliens who are here
a ceremony that often felt cellphone. She questioned trying to provide for their Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs the Sanctuary City bill Friday,
like a campaign rally for why it was held in Oka- families.”q June 14, 2019 at the Okaloosa County, Fla., Commission
Chambers in Shalimar Fla.
him and President Donald loosa, which doesn’t have Associated Press
Trump. a large immigrant popula-
The bill prohibits local gov- tion. “It seemed more like, ‘I
ernments from enacting want politically supportive
“sanctuary” polices that people in the room,’ ver-
protect undocumented sus an environment where
immigrants from deporta- advocates would be pro-
tion. It will require law en- testing outside, advocates
forcement to honor U.S. would be inside protesting,
Immigration and Customs immigrant communities
Enforcement detainers would be heard.”
for undocumented immi- “We’re blessed to have the
grants who are arrested best president, we believe,
or convicted of a crime. It since Ronald Reagan,” she
exempts crime victims and said as the crowd roared.
witnesses. “Our fight is not over. Our
“Sanctuary cities basical- immigration laws have to
ly create law-free zones be reformed, they have
where people can come to be changed, so you all
to our state illegally and our don’t become us.”
country illegally, commit The bill caused protests
criminal offenses and then among immigrants and
just walk right out the door their advocates at the
and continue to do it,” De- Capitol when it was before
Santis said. “In Florida, that the Legislature. They feared
will not happen.” it would encourage law en-
The bill was signed in the forcement profiling, force
Okaloosa County Commis- people to be deported for
sion’s meeting room with minor offenses like traffic in-
an overflow crowd dotted fractions, and discourage
with red “Make America crime victims and witnesses
Great Again” hats. Oka- from coming forward. Op-
loosa, in the western Pan- ponents also argued that
handle, is one of the state’s holding people based on
most conservative coun- an immigration detainer
ties. The crowd cheered was unconstitutional.
wildly in support of the bill They also pointed out that
and equally as loud at the Florida doesn’t have any
mention of Trump. sanctuary cities.
Trump, who has made ille- Critics said the bill was po-
gal immigration a top pri- litically motivated. Republi-
ority, helped DeSantis win can Sen. Joe Gruters, who
the GOP primary last year also chairs the Republican
and campaigned for De- Party of Florida, sponsored
Santis in the general elec- the bill and repeatedly ar-
tion. Republican U.S. Rep. gued it was simply about
Matt Gaetz, another close following the rule of law.