TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — With days to spare before the state’s emergency response fund is set to expire, Florida senators voted Wednesday to keep the money flowing, brushing aside Democratic concerns that it has become a blank check for immigration enforcement.
Still, the fight is far from over.
WATCH: Senate renews DeSantis emergency fund amid immigration spending backlash
Outside the Senate chamber, protesters gathered to voice frustration that state dollars continue to fund aggressive immigration efforts.
“This treatment is so cruel. So cruel, just terrible,” one protester said. Another added, “People are here now trying to give a message to the senators before they vote that there are human beings effected by all of this.”
Inside the chamber, lawmakers voted to extend the state’s emergency fund through the end of next year. It’s a key step in preventing it from expiring Feb. 17.
Supporters say the trust fund is critical as the main pot of money Governor Ron DeSantis can tap during declared emergencies, especially with hurricane season approaching.
“This trust fund will assure that this state is prepared to respond for disasters until Dec. 31 2027,” said Sen. Ed Hooper, R-Palm Harbor, on the Senate floor.
Senate President Ben Albritton echoed that argument.
“Regardless of any other factor, it's necessary for Florida to have a trust fund that's in place to respond disasters,” Albritton said.
But Democrats pushed back hard, citing a recent state report showing DeSantis has used $573 million from the fund for immigration enforcement. That included deployments to Texas and the construction of controversial migrant detention centers.
“We’ve had four years to see what this has become, and we've had four years to see the abuse, and we had the opportunity to fix it, and I don't understand why we didn’t,” said Sen. Tina Polsky, D-Boca Raton.
Since 2022, more than $4.7 billion has moved through the fund. Democrats argue it has evolved into a “blank check” for the administration and proposed additional legislative guardrails. Those efforts failed.
“The fund has been used for purposes it shouldn't be used for, and that we need to have oversight. And this was the bare minimum,” said Senate Minority Leader Lori Berman.
Governor DeSantis has maintained that Florida will be reimbursed more than $600 million for its immigration-related expenses. Those federal dollars have not yet arrived and are reportedly under review.
When asked about confidence in reimbursement, Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith, D-Orlando, responded: “Well, we're we're not confident that these dollars are actually going to be reimbursed by the federal government, and even if they are, so much of the spending is wrong.”
Now, attention shifts to the Florida House. The chamber must also reauthorize the fund before Monday’s deadline. So far, it has not advanced a bill. If no action is taken, the fund will dissolve, remaining cash will be used to pay down debt, and the governor would need to seek emergency funding directly from the legislature.
With the clock ticking, the next move belongs to the House.
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