TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida’s Governor, Ron DeSantis, is summoning state lawmakers to convene for a special session aimed at facilitating President-elect Donald Trump’s ambitious plans for immigration enforcement. However, he is encountering resistance from key Republican leaders in the legislature, who argue that such a session would be “premature” and “irresponsible,” despite their support for the future president.
Trump is preparing to issue over 100 executive orders from Day One of his administration, initiating a forceful campaign focused on border security, deportations, and various other policy initiatives. Although Trump and his team have expressed intentions to pursue mass deportations, significant uncertainties persist regarding the feasibility of removing the estimated 11 million individuals living in the country without documentation.
On Monday, DeSantis announced his intention to hold the special session for the week of January 27, following Trump’s inauguration, ensuring that Florida lawmakers are ready to implement the president’s policies right away. “State and local officials in Florida must assist the Trump administration in enforcing our nation’s immigration laws,” DeSantis emphasized. “To accomplish this effectively, we need legislation that stipulates additional responsibilities for local officials and allocates funding to support them.”
The Republican governor stated he is willing to remove elected officials from their positions if they fail to meet their responsibilities under the new immigration policies. DeSantis has a history of dismissing officials from office, previously removing two state attorneys for not pursuing certain cases. He expects to allocate substantial new funding—potentially in the tens of millions—to bolster state and local efforts in enforcement and detention, and he is considering deploying the Florida National Guard and the Florida State Guard to support local enforcement.
“There also have to be accountability measures for individuals who violate our anti-sanctuary policies,” he explained. “Florida needs to eliminate any lingering incentives for illegal immigration.”
In a pointed joint statement, Senate President Ben Albritton and House Speaker Danny Perez expressed their concerns, indicating that without clear directives from the incoming administration and merely “fragments of ideas” from the governor, it is premature to convene a special session. They cautioned, “It is completely irresponsible to jump ahead of any announcements from President Trump, as ill-informed or poorly timed state actions could hinder his forthcoming initiatives to combat illegal immigration.” The leaders asserted that while the governor may call a special session, the legislature will ultimately decide on the timing and content of any proposed legislation.
This pushback reflects a notable independence among Florida’s Republican leaders, contrasting with previous years when they rallied to support DeSantis’s agenda during his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination.
Democratic leaders in the Florida House, such as Fentrice Driskell, have voiced their opposition to convening a special session, suggesting that addressing these issues could be more effectively done in the regular legislative session slated to begin on March 4. Driskell stated, “In a special session, there’s limited opportunity for public and stakeholder input, and this is a significant issue.”
Apart from immigration, DeSantis is also urging lawmakers to address hurricane relief and reform the state’s condominium market, which has seen price surges following new safety regulations instituted after the tragic Surfside condo collapse that claimed 98 lives in June 2021. Additionally, he is advocating for changes to Florida’s citizen ballot initiative process concerning constitutional amendments, citing allegations of fraud in the petition drive that secured a measure for expanded abortion rights on the 2024 ballot.
Both legislative leaders promised to address these issues during the impending regular session. Nikki Fried, chair of the Florida Democratic Party, criticized the governor for not prioritizing solutions for the state’s challenging property insurance market and rising living costs, arguing that the Republican leadership prefers to “engage in political games instead of addressing real problems.”
Across the nation, Democratic governors are launching proactive efforts against the incoming Trump administration, exploring strategies to safeguard their states from potential federal policies that may restrict abortion and transgender rights. Conversely, some prominent Democratic governors are opting for a more cooperative approach to work with the forthcoming administration.
