Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, signed a bill Friday banning sanctuary cities in his state.
According to the Center for Immigration Studies, there are currently no sanctuary cities in the state of Florida, but Alachua County has declared itself to be a sanctuary county.
St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman said in a February 2017 blogpost that he would “have no hesitation in declaring St. Petersburg a sanctuary from harmful federal immigration laws,” but a spokesman clarified a few days later that Kriseman had meant only that it was a sanctuary “in spirit.” The sheriff of Pinellas County, which includes St. Petersburg, added that the county was not “and will not be a ‘sanctuary county’ for people who commit crimes. Regardless of statements made for political purposes.”
On Friday, DeSantis signed a bill that would require “state entities, local government entities, and law enforcement agencies to use best efforts to support the enforcement of federal immigration law.” It also specifically calls out “unlawful sanctuary policies.” – READ MORE