Florida House Passes Anti-Sanctuary City Measure

The Florida House yesterday passed a bill (HB 675) that would penalize local governments for adopting illegal-alien sanctuary policies – i.e., those that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement officials – and would provide a cause of action for personal injury or wrongful death caused by a city’s sanctuary policies. The bill now moves to the Florida Senate where it faces an uncertain fate.

Under the bill local governments would have 90 days to repeal sanctuary policies. The attorney general or local prosecutors could investigate possible violations and take a city or county to court. Those refusing to repeal the policies could face a fine up to $5,000 per day. The measure also would allow the governor to remove officials in those communities from office unless they try repeal the policies.

Opponents claim the bill would discourage illegal aliens from reporting crimes out of fear they could get turned over to ICE. But proponents say sanctuary policies are not needed to protect witnesses and crime victims because those illegal aliens can be protected under the federal “U” visa.”

Despite the overwhelming 80-38 House vote, the measure may face difficulty in the Florida Senate, where pro-illegal alien groups are counting on Judiciary Committee Chairman Senator Miguel Diaz de la Portilla to block a vote on the bill.

Two laws passed in 1996 that expressly forbid a city from preventing communications between its officers and ICE but successive Administrations failed to take actions against the hundreds of local governments that adopted sanctuary policies. At least a dozen states legislatures are now considering legislation like the Florida bill that would crack down on sanctuary city policies.

Read more from the Associated Press.