Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson took aim at each other online Tuesday, widening a growing rift among Florida Republicans over immigration enforcement.

Posting on X, DeSantis criticized the ‘Tackling and Reforming Unlawful Migration Policy’ (TRUMP) bill, which would shift immigration enforcement authority to Simpson. He characterized the legislation as a ‘weak’ measure shaped by industry interests and further described it as a ‘bait-and-switch tactic’ that prioritizes agricultural concerns over meaningful enforcement.

“Legislative leaders wrote a weak immigration bill that vests enforcement in the Commissioner of Agriculture, which creates a conflict of interest given the agriculture industry’s affinity for cheap, illegal foreign labor,” DeSantis wrote.

The governor also accused Simpson, a former Senate president, of previously supporting policies favorable to undocumented immigrants, including in-state tuition and driver’s licenses.

“Do we want the fox guarding the henhouse?” DeSantis asked.

Simpson quickly fired back, defending the bill and his record while positioning himself as an ally of former President Donald Trump.

“I’ve worked since day one to support President Trump and his immigration policies,” Simpson posted. “Florida’s conservative legislature will decide who is best to support President Trump and his team.”

Simpson also stated that he was “not the one who opposed and ran against President Trump,” delivering a pointed critique of the governor. The remark alluded to DeSantis’ faltering presidential campaign and highlighted the significant gap in favorability between the increasingly Trump-aligned state legislature and DeSantis.

The clash extended beyond DeSantis and Simpson, with the governor’s spokesperson, Jeremy Redfern, swung at the Department of Agriculture’s law enforcement division. Redfern claimed on X that the agency “sat on the sidelines during Biden’s Border Crisis” and had not supported the state’s efforts to combat illegal immigration.

Simpson responded directly, defending the department’s officers.

“You can insult and spread lies about me all day long, I can take it. But do not insult the officers at Ag Law,” Simpson wrote. “They serve honorably and have not been on the sidelines in this fight.”

The spat comes as lawmakers consider the “Tackling and Reforming Unlawful Migration Policy” (TRUMP) bill, which shifts immigration oversight to Simpson’s department. The bill has drawn praise from legislative leaders for consolidating enforcement authority, increasing detention funding, and repealing in-state tuition for undocumented students.

DeSantis, however, has dismissed the measure as inadequate, arguing that it undercuts his administration’s immigration efforts. Legislative leaders, including Senate President Ben Albritton and House Speaker Daniel Perez, have rejected his claims, accusing the governor of misrepresenting the bill.