Where Ron DeSantis and Florida Republicans clash on immigration

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is at odds with state lawmakers over an immigration bill.

Florida lawmakers defied DeSantis and approved their own version of sweeping immigration reforms amid a GOP power struggle in President Donald Trump‘s home state.

The Florida Senate swiftly passed the bill with a 21-16 vote on Tuesday night, and the House followed suit with a decisive 82-30 vote.

“The veto pen is ready,” DeSantis said in a post on X after the bill was passed on Tuesday.

“The bill that narrowly passed the Florida legislature last night fails to honor our promises to voters, fails to meet the moment, and would actually weaken state immigration enforcement,” he wrote in a social media post.

DeSantis’s veto threat comes as tensions rise between him and state House Speaker Daniel Perez (R) and state Senate President Ben Albritton (R). On Monday, in a surprising move, Perez and Albritton abruptly adjourned a special session that DeSantis had called to push forward President Trump’s immigration agenda.

The passage of the bill signals a GOP civil war brewing between DeSantis and Perez and Albritton, who rejected the governor’s immigration proposal in favor of their own plan.

Why It Matters

Immigration policies, including mass deportations, were a key element of President Trump’s campaign to return to the White House. Since the commencement of his second term, thousands of undocumented immigrants have been apprehended and hundreds deported.

Americans largely support immigration reform overall but disagree about how policies such as deportations should be carried out.

A majority of Americans support Trump’s current deportation plans. A poll carried out by The New York Times and Ipsos from January 2 to 10 found that 55 percent of voters strongly or somewhat supported such plans. Eighty-eight percent supported “deporting immigrants who are here illegally and have criminal records.”

Large majorities of both Democrats and Republicans agreed that the immigration system is broken.

What is the ‘TRUMP’ Act?

The legislation, known as the “Tackling and Reforming Unlawful Migration Policy (TRUMP) Act,” reflects Trump’s immigration agenda and seeks to implement his executive orders at the state level.

While the bill also creates the position of chief of immigration, the most notable distinction is that it designates Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson as the state’s chief immigration officer.

Simpson, a Trump ally and potential 2026 gubernatorial candidate, is not a close ally of DeSantis and has frequently clashed with him.

DeSantis, who is term-limited and cannot run again in 2026, has heavily criticized the bill, calling it watered down.

Similar to DeSantis’s proposals, the legislation would impose harsher penalties on noncitizens who vote and those who assist them. It also raises penalties for individuals committing crimes while in the U.S. illegally and removes in-state tuition benefits for students at public universities who entered the country unlawfully.

“I’ve worked since day one to support President Trump and his immigration policies,” Simpson said Tuesday. “I’m not the one who opposed and ran against President Trump.”

What has Ron DeSantis said about immigration?

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, in a Monday post on X: “I am glad the Legislature’s bill includes many of my proposals, including the long-overdue need to eliminate tuition waivers for illegal immigrant students. But overall, their new bill is substantially weaker than the proposals I outlined.

“We need strong immigration legislation that ensures Florida is doing everything it can to assist this important federal mission. The Legislature’s bill is a bait-and-switch tactic trying to create the illusion of an illegal immigration crackdown when it does anything but. It is an insult to name such a weak bill after President Trump, who has been so strong on this issue.”

DeSantis, in a video posted on X: “We had a series of very, very strong proposals, while they included some of the things we said, most of the stuff that’s really, really going to be meaningful was not in the proposal put forward by leaders of the Florida legislature.

“They also bizarrely strip immigration enforcement power from the governor and give it to the Commissioner of Agriculture. But agriculture has not exactly been known for immigration enforcement, so it’s almost like the fox guarding the hen house.”

What People Are Saying

Republican Senate President Ben Albritton, during Monday’s session: “Sometimes leadership isn’t about being out in front of an issue. It’s about following the leader you trust. I trust President Trump.”

Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez, speaking to the House floor: “I believe special sessions should be used sparingly. They should not be stunts designed to generate headlines. Special sessions should be reserved for those issues that truly cannot be addressed in the normal course of the legislative process. Most of the issues raised in the proclamation for Special Session A simply do not meet that threshold.”

Nikki Fried, chair of the Florida Democratic Party, posted on X: “The Florida Legislature just overrode Ron DeSantis’ veto of millions of dollars from the legislative operating budget and gave him the middle finger for his BS special session call. Do I dare say that a small dose of democracy was just witnessed?”

Will the bill be brought into law?

DeSantis, who has sharply criticized the bill as “weak” is expected to veto it and may summon lawmakers for another special session.

Although Republicans hold supermajorities in both chambers, overriding the veto would likely require support from some Senate Democrats.

The GOP infighting comes as Trump’s influence strengthens and DeSantis’ hold on the Legislature begins to wane