DeSantis' office proposed getting power to transport migrants outside the US

Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office proposed that state lawmakers give him the extraordinary power to transport migrants living in the country illegally outside the United States, according to a list of proposals legislative leaders say they received from his office last week ahead of his push for a special session at the end of the month.

The list also includes a proposition to make it a crime for law enforcement officers and elected officials to fail to fully cooperate with state and federal immigration directives.

The proposals, which according to a spokeswoman for the Florida Senate were sent Friday to legislative staff for the Senate and House, are more detailed than the immigration policy ideas DeSantis has publicly released this week as he pushes the Legislature to take action in a Jan. 27 special legislation session to help carry out President-elect Donald Trump’s mass deportation plans.

The governor publicly rolled out several immigration proposals on Wednesday. Among them were suggestions that the state program used to fly migrants to Martha’s Vineyard in 2022 be authorized to “facilitate the deportation of illegal aliens” from the country, and that the state create “penalties for non-compliance” with immigration enforcement policies. The governor did not discuss the idea that the program should operate outside of the country or that local officials should face criminal penalties for non-compliance.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2025/01/16/desantis-office-proposed-getting-power-transport-migrants-outside-us/