Florida’s new immigration law has led to boycott calls and concerns over economic impact.
The law: Florida’s Senate Bill 1718 places strict limitations on social services for undocumented immigrants, invalidates drivers licenses for them, and enforces E-Verify for businesses employing immigrants.
* The law takes effect on July 1.
Economic concerns: Business advocates worry about the impact on agriculture, construction, and hospitality sectors, which heavily rely on immigrant workers.
* Without undocumented workers, the Florida Policy Institute estimates Florida could lose 10% of its workforce in labor-intensive industries, causing a potential $12.6 billion drop in the state’s GDP.
Implementation challenges: The Department of Economic Opportunity, responsible for enforcing the E-Verify requirement, lacks a robust enforcement section, and other states with similar mandates have seen minimal impact on employment of unauthorized workers or unlawful immigration.
Legal issues: The law’s redefinition of human smuggling may lead to strong legal challenges due to lack of clarity, putting mixed-status families and farm workers at potential risk of being falsely arrested and detained.
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