DeSantis Makes New Promise

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is preparing to veto a Republican-backed immigration bill passed by the state legislature this week, continuing his ongoing clash with GOP lawmakers in Florida. In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, DeSantis made it clear that he was not in favor of the bill that narrowly passed the Florida Legislature on Tuesday. “The veto pen is ready,” he stated, adding that the bill “fails to honor our promises to voters, fails to meet the moment, and would actually weaken state immigration enforcement.”

This announcement comes amidst rising tensions between DeSantis and key Republican figures in the Florida Legislature, including State House Speaker Daniel Perez and State Senate President Ben Albritton. Just days earlier, Perez and Albritton shut down a special session DeSantis had called for to advance a more aggressive immigration policy aligned with former President Donald Trump’s immigration priorities. Instead of supporting DeSantis’s proposed policies, legislative leaders introduced their own version, the Tackling and Reforming Unlawful Migration Policy Act (TRUMP Act).

One major feature of the TRUMP Act is the proposal to make Florida’s Agriculture Commissioner, Wilton Simpson, the state’s chief immigration officer. This has raised concerns, as Simpson has been mentioned as a potential challenger to DeSantis in the 2026 gubernatorial race and is not considered a close ally of the governor. DeSantis has criticized the TRUMP Act as a watered-down version of his own proposal, which is aimed at cracking down on illegal immigration.

The bill does share some common ground with DeSantis’s original plan. It increases penalties for noncitizens who vote illegally and for those who assist them, as well as for individuals who commit crimes while in the country illegally. It also removes in-state tuition benefits for students who are in the U.S. illegally. However, the appointment of Simpson as chief immigration officer remains a contentious point.

The disagreement between DeSantis and the state legislature signals a shift in Florida politics, as the governor continues to try and navigate a complicated relationship with both Trump and his fellow Republicans in the state. As he looks to strengthen his ties with the Trump base ahead of potential national ambitions, DeSantis faces a tough balancing act in managing his home state’s GOP.