Florida's immigration reform could lead to major court battles, experts say

FORT MYERS, Fla. — One day after signing what he calls the toughest immigration reform law in the country, Gov. Ron DeSantis touted the state’s agreement between Florida Highway Patrol and ICE.

“(ICE) will train our FHP troopers so they will be able to exercise the powers of immigration enforcement,” Gov. DeSantis said.

Illegal immigration is now a crime in the state of Florida.

There are also now enhanced penalties for certain crimes, including the death penalty in capital cases, for immigrants in the US without legal authorization.

“I expect much of it to be struck down as unconstitutional,” said Elizabeth Ricci, an immigration attorney.

Ricci says she believes Florida’s law could be a model for many Republican-led states.

But she also expects more court battles.

“Profiling is going to be an issue. With all due respect to FHP they are not trained immigration officers. They don’t know the difference between a work authorization or a green card for example,” said Ricci.

In-state tuition for undocumented students ends at the end of the school year.

More than a quarter billion dollars is being doled out across the state for immigration enforcement.