A dispute between Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Republican leaders of the Legislature over conflicting views of an immigration crackdown escalated Monday after the governor labeled as “bizarre” lawmakers’ proposal to strip him of immigration enforcement powers.
Following Senate President Ben Albritton’s and House Speaker Danny Perez’s rebuke of DeSantis’ call for a special session Monday morning — choosing to adjourn but then convene their own special session to consider their own legislation — DeSantis took to social media to slam the move.
The governor attacked the sole proposal both chambers filed for the session, partly because it puts Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson — and not DeSantis — in charge of coordinating immigration enforcement with the federal government. The agriculture commissioner is an elected Florida Cabinet officer up for election every four years.
“They also bizarrely stripped immigration enforcement power from the governor and gave it to the commissioner of agriculture,” DeSantis said in a video he posted on X.
“But agriculture has not exactly been known for immigration enforcement, so it’s almost like the fox guarding the henhouse. It was bizarre and I think it was more a sop to folks who want cheap labor. That is totally bad policy. That can’t happen.”
Senate President Ben Albritton fields questions from reporters during a news conference in the Florida Capitol on Dec. 16, 2024. (Photo by Jay Waagmeester/Florida Phoenix)
In response, Albritton and Perez said the governor had insulted members of the Cabinet, local law enforcement, and the agricultural community.
“Unlike others, the Legislature is not interested in misleading or attacking Floridians, especially Florida law enforcement,” the Republican leaders wrote in a statement. “Our number one goal is to work together with President Trump. Anyone that says anything otherwise is not reading the bill, not reading the executive orders, or just not telling the truth.”
The bill emphasizes that Florida does not have a “single head of the executive branch,” but rather is governed in part by the Cabinet — three independently elected officials who with the governor decide a range of policies. It adds that the Legislature has previously expanded duties of the commissioner of agriculture.
DeSantis is set to appoint two Cabinet members to fill an attorney general vacancy with Ashley Moody’s move to Congress, while Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis is considered the frontrunner for a Panhandle congressional seat.
Immigration enforcement power would be stripped from the governor under the proposed bill, DeSantis posted to X, adding, “It unconstitutionally removes authority to enforce the law from the governor to a lower-level cabinet agency, the department of agriculture, that does not oversee state law enforcement.”
Perez and Albritton replied that the unconstitutionality claim is “completely untrue, and the governor knows that.”
Speaker Daniel Perez via Florida House
“Under our bill, the governor will maintain all of his emergency powers,” Perez and Albritton said.
“The commissioner of agriculture already has broad authority to act during emergencies and does in fact have a law enforcement division of 200 sworn law enforcement officers who partner with local law enforcement to provide a statewide presence at our borders. There is absolutely nothing unconstitutional about the separation of powers and the advancement of immigration enforcement at a constitutionally created cabinet-level agency other than the governor.”
The Legislature is set to vote final passage on the proposal Tuesday. Two thirds of the members of each chamber would have to approve the bill to override a potential veto from DeSantis.
The proposed Chief Immigration Officer (CIMO) position would place the commissioner of agriculture as the liaison between state and federal governments to enforce immigration policy, supplying about $500 million and nearly 150 new employees.
The bill would task the CIMO with the following, according to the summary:
Coordinating with and providing assistance to the federal government in the enforcement of federal immigration law. Coordinating with and providing assistance to law enforcement agencies and monitoring local government compliance with federal immigration enforcement.Administering the local law enforcement immigration grant program.Coordinating random audits to ensure compliance with E-Verify.Providing recommendations to the Legislature regarding measures that may be implemented to improve cooperation and coordination with the federal government in the enforcement of federal immigration law.
Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson welcomed the proposal.
Wilton Simpson via Florida Department of Agriculture
“Our dedicated law enforcement professionals are in this fight every single day, and I am honored to stand with them as a liaison between the State of Florida and the Trump Administration,” Simpson said in a written statement.
“I am confident with the leadership of our state and local law enforcement and the funding the Legislature is appropriating in this bill, President Trump’s home state will be a national leader in apprehending criminal illegal aliens, as well as a destination for law enforcement to train on apprehending and detaining criminal illegals through ICE.”
The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services would use $8.58 million to establish 142 new full-time jobs in its Division of Law Enforcement/Office of State Immigration Enforcement, including 50 sworn law enforcement officers, 50 non-sworn investigators, 20 regulatory specialists, 16 governmental consultants, three attorneys, one chief of general operations, and two training consultants.
Lawmakers directed the agriculture commissioner to use $550,000 to hire seven full time positions within its executive office to implement the bill, too.
Some $100 million would be allocated to the Local Law Enforcement Immigration Grant Program in the agency’s Division of Law Enforcement/Office of State Immigration Enforcement to implement the Local Law Enforcement Immigration Grant Program. Of that, $3.75 million would be immediately released for administrative costs associated with implementing the grant program including procedures, administration, and criteria for approving grant applications.
The bill calls for $375 million to implement and support the enforcement of federal immigration policies.
Christine Sexton contributed to this report.