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By Ewan Palmer
News Reporter
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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis criticized members of his own party for refusing to hold a special session to help implement President Donald Trump's immigration policies.
In a post and video shared on social media, DeSantis accused Florida Republicans of putting forward a "substantially weaker" legislative proposal.
Newsweek has contacted DeSantis' office and the Florida GOP for comment via email outside of regular working hours.
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Why It Matters
For years, DeSantis has enjoyed a clear mandate with little pushback as he advanced his conservative agenda in Florida, including high-profile battles against Disney and what he described as "woke" culture. Monday's setback in calling a special session marks his biggest defeat since he dropped out of the presidential race in early 2024, and signals that the governor's influence in Florida may be waning.
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What to Know
DeSantis had called for a special legislative session in mid-January in order to approve proposals he crafted to support Trump's immigration plans.
His proposals included repealing in-state college tuition for undocumented students, expanding the legal definition of gang-related activities to include more undocumented groups deemed "dangerous," and appointing a dedicated immigration officer to collaborate with the federal government.
Florida lawmakers started and quickly ended DeSantis' special session on Monday and instead advanced their own legislative package, which largely rejected the governor's proposals.
Republican Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez told members that special sessions should be used "sparingly" and not as "stunts" to generate headlines.
Republican Senate President Ben Albritton accused DeSantis of attempting to position himself "out in front" of Trump's immigration policies, arguing the governor should instead follow the president's lead.
In a statement, Florida House and Senate leaders said DeSantis' proposals were "well-intentioned" but introduced "unnecessary bureaucracy" that could hinder collaboration between law enforcement and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The lawmakers named their proposal the Tackling and Reforming Unlawful Migration Policy (TRUMP) Act.
Some elements of DeSantis' plans were included in the legislature's proposals, such as ending tuition waivers for undocumented students. However, the legislature proposed appointing Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson as Florida's chief immigration officer instead of someone from the governor's office, as DeSantis had suggested.
In a joint statement, Perez and Albritton said DeSantis had not read the new bill before reacting on social media, adding that anyone saying they were not aligned with Trump's policies was "not telling the truth."
Trump, who made immigration a central theme of his successful presidential campaign, praised DeSantis for calling for a special session on immigration, posting on Truth Social on January 14 he hopes "other Governors will follow."
Americans largely support immigration reform overall, but disagree about how policies such as deportations should be carried out.
A *New York Times/*Ipsos poll, carried out from January 2 to 10, found 55 percent of voters strongly or somewhat supported deportations. 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 People Are Saying
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."
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."
Perez and Albritton, in a joint statement: "Our number one goal is to work together with President Trump. Anyone that says anything otherwise is not reading the bill, not reading the executive orders, or just not telling the truth."
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?"
What Happens Next
A House vote on the immigration bills proposed by the Florida Legislature is expected on Tuesday.
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