Combatting Illegal Immigration

HB 7A increases penalties for individuals who commit new crimes in Florida after being previously convicted under federal law for unlawful reentry (8 U.S.C. § 1326). It reclassifies subsequent offenses: for example, a second-degree misdemeanor becomes a first-degree misdemeanor, a first-degree misdemeanor becomes a third-degree felony, and a first-degree felony becomes a life felony. The bill directly affects people with prior convictions for illegal reentry who commit new crimes in Florida. The legislation was filed in January 2025 but died in the Criminal Justice Subcommittee without further action.