Florida GOP leaders reject DeSantis’ call for special session, chart independent path

by | Jan 27, 2025

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Florida Republican leaders on Monday rejected Gov. Ron DeSantis’ call for a special session on immigration, opting to convene on their own terms and hinting at a shift in Tallahassee’s political dynamics.

DeSantis in early January pressed for a special session to advance a series of hardline immigration measures. His proposals included expanding state enforcement of federal immigration laws, broadening the Unauthorized Alien Transport Program, and creating a database to track international money transfers. He additionally called for imposing criminal penalties on local officials who fail to comply with immigration enforcement directives.

However, Senate President Ben Albritton and House Speaker Daniel Perez, both Republicans, rejected the governor’s agenda, describing it as “overly broad” and potentially unconstitutional. The lawmakers argued that some of DeSantis’ proposals conflicted with federal immigration policies championed by President Donald Trump, which urges collaboration between federal and state authorities.

“I believe special sessions should be used sparingly,” Perez told House representatives on Monday. “They should not be stunts designed to generate headlines because they inhibit the very thing the legislative process should encourage: the push and pull of meaningful conversations that lead to the development of good and better ideas. Special sessions should be reserved for those issues that truly cannot be addressed in the normal course of the legislative process. Most of the issues raised in the proclamation for special session a simply do not meet that threshold.”

Lawmakers promptly adjourned the governor’s special session and announced plans to convene on their own. Senators Joe Gruters and Randy Fine, both allies of President Trump, introduced the “Tackling and Reforming Unlawful Migration Policy (TRUMP)” bill. The legislation proposes appointing Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson as Florida’s chief immigration officer, effectively sidelining DeSantis and consolidating immigration oversight under Simpson’s authority.

The proposed legislation increases funding for law enforcement and detention facilities, strengthens collaboration between local and federal immigration agencies, and repeals in-state tuition for undocumented students—a policy enacted in 2014 under then-Gov. Rick Scott.

“Honored to co-introduce SB 2B, the TRUMP Act, with my friend [Sen. Joe Gruters] to allocate $500M+ to assist with the deportation of illegals,” Fine said on X. “The bill ends the $100M subsidy for illegal immigrants attending our colleges and universities. Illegals, it is time to go home.”

Shortly after, Gruters took to social media to pledge his support for enacting federal — not state — immigration ambitions in Florida.

“Look forward to supporting and leading the effort to pass President [Donald Trump]’s agenda here in Florida by ensuring we have more badges, more beds to hold illegal aliens, and a laser on us on catching bad guys-criminals who violate our laws!” Gruters published on X. 

In response, DeSantis communications operative Christina Pushaw made a post on X in support of DeSantis’ immigration platform. The post was subsequently republished by DeSantis spokesperson Jeremy Redfern.

“It’s simple: We voted for mass deportations of all illegal aliens. The best way to clear “more beds” to deport them faster. That’s what [Gov. Ron DeSantis] proposed,” she wrote on X.

Meanwhile, the governor referred to the TRUMP legislation as “weak” and a concession to special industry interests.

“By giving enforcement power to the agricultural arm of state government, it ensures that enforcement never actually occurs,” DeSantis said. “The Legislature’s bill is a bait-and-switch tactic trying to create the illusion of an illegal immigration crack down, when it does anything but. It is an insult to name such a weak bill after President Trump, who has been so strong on this issue.”

Legislators also moved to override a prior DeSantis veto, restoring more than $56 million in funding for legislative support services that he had previously cut, marking the first veto override of the governor’s two terms in office. The restored funding covers IT systems, transparency programs, and economic forecasting.

“This veto was at best, a misunderstanding of the importance of the appropriation, or at worst, an attempt to threaten the independence of our separate branch of government. Whatever the rationale, this special session represents the first opportunity to correct this veto,” Perez told House members.

The move represents a calculated challenge to DeSantis, whose setbacks in his presidential campaign have emboldened other Republican leaders within the state to outwardly align with President Trump. Top Democrats are also pouncing at the opportunity, issuing statements of support.

“The Florida Legislature just overrode Ron DeSantis’s veto of millions of dollars from the leg operating budget and gave him the middle finger for his BS special session call,” said Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Nikki Fried. “Do I dare say that a small dose of democracy was just witnessed.”

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