Gov. Ron DeSantis came to The Villages on Monday and delivered a clear message: State lawmakers must battle illegal immigration by passing legislation requiring businesses to verify the status of everyone they hire.
Appearing at the Fenney Recreation Center in the mega-retirement community that often struggles to find lower-wage workers for a variety of jobs, the governor called for the mandatory use of E-Verify, a federal system that gives employers the ability to check the immigration status of prospective employees within seconds.
“The number one reason that you have illegal immigration is because of employment,” he said. “A lot of times there will be businesses that will hire cheap, foreign illegal labor that undercuts American wages.”
DeSantis, flanked by state Sen. Joe Gruters and state Rep. Cord Byrd, cited legislation he signed in June that banned sanctuary cities in Florida. He credited both lawmakers with making that law a reality and said passing legislation requiring the use of E-Verify is the next logical step.
“It’s long-standing federal law that in order to be eligible for employment, you have to be here lawfully,” he said. “I believe the vast majority of people in our state believe that businesses should be hiring Americans and legal immigrants.”
DeSantis also pointed out that Florida is the only state in the southeastern portion of the country that isn’t already requiring the use of E-Verify – a system that has been vehemently opposed by some in the construction and agriculture industries. He said use of the system would quickly deter illegal immigrants from wanting to come to the Sunshine State and actually lead to pay increases for lower-wage blue-collar workers.
DeSantis tied the importance of enacting the verification system to illegal activities in the state. He cited the Department of Homeland Security busting an organized crime ring in Jacksonville earlier this year that was helping the flow of illegal labor into the state and using shell companies to create a fraudulent workers’ compensation scheme.
“When you have those types of criminal enterprises, you end up seeing money-laundering, fraud, identity theft – all of that goes to what we’re talking about here,” he said.
DeSantis also was flanked by “Angel Parents” Vickie Lyon and Kiyan and Bobby Michael, who lost adult children in vehicle crashes with illegal immigrants, as he cited 2018 Homeland Security crime stats in Florida – more 900 criminal arrests; more than 1,400 investigative cases; and 127,000 pounds of narcotics, 365 firearms and more than $14 million in currency seizures.
“At the end of the day, the law is the law,” he said. “You either comply with it or you don’t. And I think in Florida we should be complying with it and have a legal workforce. That’s just the bottom line.”
The crowd gathered at the Fenney Recreation Center largely agreed with the governor and offered several rounds of applause. One of those who attended, Village of Bonita resident Ed Sullivan, said he’s in favor of the use of E-Verify but certain conditions have to come along with it.
“For it to work, they’re going to have to put in the proper sanctions, because these companies run on money,” said Sullivan, a member of Villagers for Trump, The Villages Republican Club and the Sumter County Republican Executive Committee.
“If they’re going to look at it and say, ‘If I’m going to get fined $100 for hiring an illegal but by doing that I’m going to make $500,’ then the law is not going work.”
Sullivan said the answer to the problem, however, is quite simple.
“They’ve got to put in substantial fines or maybe even jail time,” he said. “Put them in jail for two weeks. I don’t think any manager or company wants to go to jail for two weeks.”
Longtime Villages Republican leader John Calandro, of the Village of Sabal Chase, said he’s a firm believer in the use of E-Verify.
“If you’re a good, hard-working citizen and you’re getting beat out of a job by somebody who is here illegally, shame on the employers that do that,” said the immediate past president of the Sumter County Republican Executive Committee.
“It’s a simple solution and I think it will go a long way to help continue to make Florida not only a more prosperous state, but it’s also very consistent with our need to recognize that we favor legal immigration.”
Calandro, who also works with Villagers for Trump, said he’s hopeful state lawmakers will quickly get behind the legislation and make it happen.
“Common sense says this should pass, no problem, on the first day,” he said.
Villagers for Trump member Tom Cobianchi agreed.
“I want people to come into this country legally and we want them to become Americans – integrate into our society, our ways and our laws,” he said. “We’re 100 percent for E-Verify and I’m disappointed that we haven’t moved forward on that so far.”
As for DeSantis choosing The Villages for the E-Verify announcement – it was his fourth trip to Florida’s Friendliest Hometown in 10 months – Calandro said he wasn’t surprised. He pointed out that both President Trump – a big supporter of DeSantis – and the governor fared quite well here in last year’s elections.
“When you look at the winning margins in the state of Florida, in the gubernatorial race and in the presidential race, I think you can probably say that the road to the White House and the road to Tallahassee comes right through Central Florida,” he said. “And we’re proud of it.”
Cobianchi said he believes there also another reason DeSantis chose The Villages for the announcement.
“We’re solid Americans here,” he said. “We are average, working-class people and all we want you to do is come join us legally. Integrate into our society and we welcome you.”
DeSantis was in The Villages a little more than a month ago when President Trump spoke at the Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center. He was here in June when he signed a Trump-supported bill that eventually could allow Floridians to save money by purchasing those drugs from Canada. And he was at the Savannah Center in February when he announced his plan to purse the prescription drug bill.