A Hispanic civil rights group warned immigrants on Wednesday not to travel to Florida after Florida Governer DeSantis signed Bill 1718.
This bill intends to stop the flow of illegal immigrants by enacting stricter employment requirements and harsher punishments against those who smuggle them into the state. It also allocates $12 million for the transport of migrants to other states.
It is set to take effect on July.
The bill also mandates that businesses with 25 or more workers utilize the federal E-Verify system to determine whether or not a potential employee is legally able to work in the United States.
During a livestreamed press conference on Facebook, the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) issued a travel advisory warning immigrants and their families to avoid traveling to the state of Florida due to the potential threat it poses to them.
"Florida is a dangerous, hostile environment for law-abiding Americans and immigrants." LULAC President Domingo Garcia said.
"If you bring your tía to Disney World , to Miami or Universal Studios, they are going to charge you with a felony for bringing your undocumented friend or relative to Florida," Garcia said.
Lydia Guzman, LULAC's immigration committee chair says that the bill is meant to "harass immigrants".
The bill also is requiring hospitals that take Medicaid to ask patients about their citizenship status and ending the state's acceptance of out-of-state driver's licenses and permits for illegal immigrants.
"Migrants will forgo seeking medical attention," Guzman said. "As that happens, people may die."
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