TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida state lawmakers and immigration advocates joined together to stand against the anti-immigration House Bill 527 on Thursday.
The bill prohibits state and local agencies from passing or enforcing ordinances that would protect immigrants from detention and would repeal any existing sanctuary policies.
"This mandates all communities, even those who have decided that it's not in the best interest of public safety in their communities, because they want people to feel comfortable with law enforcement," said Karen Woodall, Executive Director of the Florida Center for Fiscal and Economic Policy. "They want them to report crime if they see it. This is going to drive all of that underground, and it's taking away the ability of local governments to decide what's in the best interest of their own communities."
The bill has been around for several years. The House has passed a form of this bill in the past, but it was stopped in the Senate.
