Immigration (Enforcement)

Immigration; Revising the duties and responsibilities of the Office of Economic Accountability and Transparency within the Department of Commerce; revising penalties, including suspension and revocation of certain licenses and the imposition of fines, for violating provisions related to employing unauthorized aliens; requiring that such fines be deposited into a specified trust fund; requiring that all private employers, rather than only those employing a specified number or more of employees, use the E-Verify system to verify a new employee’s employment eligibility, etc.

State Immigration Enforcement Action Database; Requiring the State Board of Immigration Enforcement to create and administer the State Immigration Enforcement Action Database; requiring that the database be accessible through a publicly available website and be searchable; requiring law enforcement agencies and entities contracting for private correctional services in this state to submit to the board specified information within a specified timeframe after detaining or arresting a person for specified reasons, etc.

U-visa Certification Policy; Specifies duties of certifying officials from certifying agencies concerning certification forms in support of U-visa applications; provides rebuttable presumption; requires certifying official from certifying agency that denies certification to provide petitioner with specified written notice; requires certifying agencies to grant or deny requests for certifications within specified timeframes; authorizes applicants to petition circuit court if certifying agency fails to respond within those timeframes; prohibits certifying agencies & certifying officials from disclosing immigration status of victims or persons seeking certification; provides initial & annual reporting requirements; provides immunity for certifying officials; specifies duties of certifying agencies.

Immigration; Specifying duties of certifying officials from certifying agencies concerning certification forms in support of U-visa applications; requiring a certifying official from a certifying agency that denies a certification to provide the petitioner with specified written notice; authorizing applicants to petition the circuit court if the certifying agency fails to respond within those timeframes; prohibiting certifying agencies and certifying officials from disclosing the immigration status of victims or persons seeking a certification, etc.

Immigration, Law Enforcement, and State-issued Identification; Citing this act as the “Florida Economic Prosperity and Immigration Act”; requiring proof of a specified identification number for certain applicants for a driver license; prohibiting the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles from disclosing or making accessible certain photographs and related information to any agency that primarily enforces immigration law or to any employee or agent of such agency; deleting the requirement for certain private employers to use the E-Verify system; providing that discrimination based on a person’s immigration status is unlawful; requiring covered immigration officers to wear specified visible identification during public immigration enforcement functions, etc.

Immigration, Law Enforcement, and State-issued Identification; Creates Office for New Americans in Department of Commerce; provides requirements for Office for New Americans; provides that discrimination based on person's immigration status is unlawful; revises provisions of law relating to driver licenses, licensing, E-Verify System, the practice of law, federal immigration detainers, law enforcement agencies, DNA samples, education, & reclassification of penalties based on a person's immigration status; removes provisions of law relating to hospital patient data collection, human smuggling, sanctuary policies, duties relating to immigration detainees, reimbursement of costs, & sentence of death for capital offense committed by unauthorized alien; prohibits law enforcement agencies or officers, sheriff's deputies, & federal immigration agencies from engaging in certain immigration enforcement activities within a specified distance of public or private schools, child care facilities, or religious institutions; requires immigration officers to wear specified visible identification; prohibits law enforcement & immigration officers from wearing face coverings in performance of their official duties; requires specified advance notice be given to sheriff; provides criminal penalties; prohibits children from being denied free public education based on immigration status.

Violation of State Immigration Law ; Requires FDLE to impose fine for certain violations; requires moneys be used for specified purpose; defines "unauthorized alien"; authorizes department to develop program to compensate certain persons; provides requirements to receive compensation; defines "unauthorized alien"; creates cause of action against certain local governmental entities & law enforcement agencies; requires plaintiff to prove certain elements by preponderance of evidence; provides that state waives sovereign immunity for liability in certain circumstances.

Commercial Motor Vehicles Operated by Unauthorized Aliens; Declaring the policy of the state with respect to the operation of commercial motor vehicles by unauthorized aliens; requiring sworn law enforcement officers with certain authority to take into custody persons determined to be unauthorized aliens operating commercial motor vehicles and facilitate the transfer of such persons into the custody of a federal immigration agency; requiring the impoundment and removal of a commercial motor vehicle under certain circumstances; providing that motor carriers are liable for certain civil penalties, etc.

Violations of State Immigration Laws; Requiring the Department of Law Enforcement to impose a fine for certain violations; requiring the department to use the moneys collected from such fines to provide compensation to victims harmed by unauthorized aliens; requiring the department to develop a program to compensate residents who have suffered harm caused by unauthorized aliens; creating a cause of action against certain local governmental entities and law enforcement agencies under certain circumstances, etc.