About Floridians for E-Verify Now
Our grassroots Floridians for E-Verify Now campaign is about:
- “Restoring the American Dream” for the working poor of Florida. Ensuring that if they are willing to work hard, their efforts for upward mobility into the middle class won’t be undercut by illegal labor.
- Improve the ability of all Floridians to enjoy a better standard of living.
- Ensuring law abiding businesses of Florida don’t fail because they are undercut by businesses that use illegal labor.
- Ending Florida’s illegal alien job magnet that makes the job of our Border Agents more difficult.
Our grassroots E-Verify campaign is born out of frustration. We have waited 29 years for the Federal Government to enforce the law (see below) below that supposedly was enacted to protect American jobs.
Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986
Title I: Control of Illegal Immigration – Part A: Employment – Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to make it unlawful for a person or other entity to: (1) hire (including through subcontractors), recruit, or refer for a fee for U.S. employment any alien knowing that such person is unauthorized to work, or any person without verifying his or her work status; or (2) continue to employ an alien knowing of such person’s unauthorized work status.
Governor Scott
Candidate Scott ran and was elected on a platform to enforce laws stopping illegal immigration.
In the 2010 Governor’s race Candidate Rick Scott declared:
“We have over 700,000 illegal immigrants in the state. They’re costing us billions of dollars, and they’re taking legal residents’ jobs.”
“Rick will require all Florida employers to use the free E-Verify system to ensure that their workers are legal.”
So apparently candidate Scott understood Florida had a problem with illegal aliens taking American jobs and he understood that mandatory E-Verify is the best solution to ensure all new hires are legal.
Now, to Governor Scott’s credit, he did implement public E-Verify by executive order soon after taking the oath of office. That executive order mandates all contractors doing business with the state shall use E-Verify. The executive order has been now been in effect for five years. It must be working well or Governor Scott would have rescinded the order. So if it’s working well for the state, why not mandate it for all employers?
Governor Scott breaks his campaign promise to mandate E-Verify in 2012.
On June 12, 2012 Governor Scott stated at a meeting of the Florida Citrus Mutual in Bonita Springs.
“Now, with the regard to E-Verify, as you know we did it for people who do business with state government but we’ve got to have a national E-Verify program because I don’t want to put Florida businesses at a competitive disadvantage.”
The governor also reportedly told the growers group that he would not support any legislation should the issue be revived.
Governor Scott’s statement is outrageous! The underlying message is “Don’t hire American workers and you will have a competitive advantage over businesses that operate legally.”
The Florida State Legislature:
Since 2007 the leadership of both houses has blocked every immigration enforcement bill* meant to protect Florida workers and taxpayers. *Except in 2010 when Majority Leader Adam Hasner pushed an omnibus bill (HB 219 )that provided for public E-Verify, denial of public benefits to illegal aliens, and a memorandum of understanding between ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and local law enforcement. That bill passed unanimously in all committees and on the floor. Final House vote: 112 yeas 0 nays, demonstrating if leadership wants a bill to move forward it will. The bill was then killed in the Senate.
Click here to access official House record of HB219 bill history
The Legislature has passed one immigration related bill. In 2014 it passed in-state tuition for illegal aliens, commonly known as College Tuition Subsidy for Illegal Aliens. Also in 2014, the Legislature passed an exemption to allow an illegal alien to obtain a law license.
The legislature’s past history demonstrates that its leadership has no intention of enacting any meaningful immigration enforcement legislation to protect Florida’s legal workers and taxpayers.
Here are the bad bills that did pass:
2014 Session
CS/CS/HB 851 Resident Status for Tuition Purposes
- General Bill by Nunez
- Last Action: Became Law
CS/CS/HB 755 Courts
- General Bill by Steube
- Last Action: Became Law
Here are the good bills that didn’t pass:
2008 Session
HB 73 Illegal Immigration
- General Bill by: Brown
- Last Event: Friday, May 02, 2008 – Died in Committee on State Affairs
HB 159 Enforcement of Immigration Laws
- General Bill by: Adams
- Last Event: Friday, May 02, 2008 – Died in Committee on State Affairs
SB 388 Security and Immigration Compliance Act [LPCC]
- General Bill by: Fasano
- Last Event: Monday, May 05, 2008 – 05/02/08 S Died in Committee on Military Affairs and Domestic Security
SB 540 Felons/Enforcement of Federal Immigration Laws [LPCC]
- General Bill by: Baker
- Last Event: Monday, May 05, 2008 – 05/02/08 S Died in Committee on Criminal Justice
HB 571 Illegal Aliens
- General Bill by: Kravitz
- Last Event: Friday, May 02, 2008 – Died in Committee on State Affairs
HB 577 Illegal or Undocumented Aliens
- General Bill by: Williams, T.
- Last Event: Friday, May 02, 2008 – Died in Committee on State Affairs
HB 821 Illegal Immigration
- General Bill by: Harrell
- Last Event: Friday, May 02, 2008 – Died in Committee on State Affairs
CS/SB 1086 Illegal or Undocumented Aliens/DOC [LPCC]
- General Bill by: Criminal Justice, Bennett
- Last Event: Monday, May 05, 2008 – 05/02/08 S Died on Calendar
HB 1247 Immigration Status of Inmates
- General Bill by: Gelber
- Last Event: Friday, May 02, 2008 – Died in Committee on State Affairs
SB 1364 Immigration [LPCC]
- General Bill by: Villalobos
- Last Event: Monday, May 05, 2008 – 05/02/08 S Died in Committee on Criminal Justice
SB 2738 Immigration Status of Inmates [LPCC]
- General Bill by: Deutch
- Last Event: Monday, May 05, 2008 – 05/02/08 S Died in Committee on Criminal Justice
2009 Session
HB 163 Illegal Aliens in the Correctional System
- General Bill by: Williams, T.
- Last Event: Saturday, May 02, 2009 – Died in Public Safety & Domestic Security Policy Committee
CS/SB 352 Inmates/Illegal or Undocumented Aliens/Deportation [SPSC]
- General Bill by: Judiciary, Bennett
- Last Event: Saturday, May 02, 2009 – 05/02/09 S Died in Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriations
CS/HB 567 Illegal Immigration
- General Bill by: Economic Development & Community Affairs Policy Council, Schenck
- Last Event: Saturday, May 02, 2009 – Died on Second Reading Calendar
CS/HB 915 Enforcement of Immigration Laws
- General Bill by: Governmental Affairs Policy Committee, Adams
- Last Event: Saturday, May 02, 2009 – Died in Economic Development & Community Affairs Policy Council
SB 1532 Illegal Immigration [GPSC]
- General Bill by: Storms
- Last Event: Saturday, May 02, 2009 – 05/02/09 S Died in Committee on Military Affairs and Domestic Security
SB 1890 Illegal Aliens [SPSC]
- General Bill by: Storms
- Last Event: Saturday, May 02, 2009 – 05/02/09 S Died in Committee on Criminal Justice
2010 Session
CS/CS/HB 219 Immigration
- General Bill by: Economic Development & Community Affairs Policy Council, Governmental Affairs Policy Committee, Adams
- Last Event: Friday, April 30, 2010 – 04/30/10 S Died in Messages
HB 421 Immigration
- General Bill by: Adkins
- Last Event: Friday, April 30, 2010 – Died in Governmental Affairs Policy Committee
HB 503 Illegal Immigration
- General Bill by: Schenck
- Last Event: Friday, April 30, 2010 – Died in Policy Council
SB 600 Inmates/Illegal or Undocumented Aliens/Deportation [SPSC]
- General Bill by: Bennett
- Last Event: Friday, April 30, 2010 – 04/30/10 S Died in Committee on Judiciary
SB 856 Immigration [CPSC]
- General Bill by: Baker
- Last Event: Friday, April 30, 2010 – 04/30/10 S Died in Committee on Regulated Industries
HB 919 Illegal or Undocumented Aliens
- General Bill by: Roberson, K.
- Last Event: Friday, April 30, 2010 – Died in Governmental Affairs Policy Committee
SB 1880 Enforcement of Immigration Laws [GPSC]
- General Bill by: Detert
- Last Event: Friday, April 30, 2010 – 04/30/10 S Died in Committee on Governmental Oversight and Accountability
SB 2162 Illegal Aliens [SPSC]
- General Bill by: Storms
- Last Event: Friday, April 30, 2010 – 04/30/10 S Died in Committee on Criminal Justice
SB 2368 Illegal Immigration [GPSC]
- General Bill by: Storms
- Last Event: Monday, May 03, 2010 – 04/30/10 S Died in Committee on Military Affairs and Domestic Security
2011 Session
HB 691 Verification of Employment Eligibility
- General Bill by: Harrell
- Last Event: 05/07/11 Died in Government Operations Subcommittee
SB 518 Verification of Employment Eligibility
- General Bill by: Hays
- Last Event: 05/09/11 Died in Judiciary
CS/SB 2040 Enforcement of Immigration Laws
- General Bill by: Judiciary/SB 2040 – Enforcement of Immigration Laws
- Last Event: Saturday, May 07, 2011 – Died in Messages
CS/HB 7089 Enforcement of Immigration Laws
- General Bill by: Economics Affairs Committee, Judiciary Committee, Snyder
- Last Event: Saturday, May 07, 2011- Died pending review of CS under Rule
2012 Session
HB 1315 Verification of Employment Eligibility
- General Bill by: Harrell
- Last Event: 05/12/12 Died in Government Operations Subcommittee
SB 1638 Verification of Employment Eligibility
- General Bill by: Altman
- Last Event: 05/12/12 Died in Judiciary
2016 Session
CS/CS/HB 675: Federal Immigration Enforcement
- General Bill by Metz
- Last Action: 3/11/2016 Senate – Died in Judiciary
SB 872: Federal Immigration Enforcement
- General Bill by Bean
- Last Action: 3/11/2016 Senate – Died in Judiciary
SB 150: Offenses by Illegal Immigrants
- General Bill by Hutson
- Last Action: 3/11/2016 Senate – Died in Criminal Justice
2017 Session
SB 82: Postsecondary Education Tuition and Fee Waivers
- General Bill by Steube ;
- Last Action: 5/5/2017 Senate – Died in Education
CS/HB 83: Offenses by Aliens Unlawfully Present in the United States
- General Bill by Eagle
- Last Action: 5/5/2017 House – Died in Judiciary Committee
CS/SB 120: Offenses by Aliens Unlawfully Present in the United States
- General Bill Hutson
- Last Action: 5/5/2017 Senate – Died in Appropriations
CS/HB 427: Refugee Assistance Programs
- General Bill by Santiago
- Last Action: 5/5/2017 House – Died in Health and Human Services Committee
SB 1674: Enforcement of Federal Laws
- General Bill by Torres
- Last Action: 5/5/2017 Senate – Died in Judiciary
SB 1358: Reentry into the State by Certain Persons
- General Bill by Steube
- Last Action: 5/5/2017 Senate – Died in Judiciary
HB 1407: Enforcement of Federal Laws
- General Bill by Smith ; Jacquet
- Last Action: 5/5/2017 House – Died in Criminal Justice Subcommittee
HB 443: Verification of Employment Eligibility
- General Bill by Gruters
- Last Action: 5/5/2017 House – Died in Careers and Competition Subcommittee
CS/HB 83: Offenses by Aliens Unlawfully Present in the United States
- General Bill by Eagle
- Last Action: 5/5/2017 House – Died in Judiciary Committee
CS/HB 697: Federal Immigration Enforcement
- General Bill by Metz
- Last Action: 5/5/2017 Senate – Died in Judiciary
SB 786: Federal Immigration Enforcement
- General Bill by Bean
- Last Action: 5/5/2017 Senate – Died in Judiciary
2018 Session
CS/HB 9: Federal Immigration Enforcement
- General Bill by Metz
- Last Action: 3/10/2018 Senate – Died in Judiciary
SB 308: Federal Immigration Enforcement
- General Bill by Bean
- Last Action: 3/10/2018 Senate – Died in Judiciary
