Florida
Florida House Speaker, Governor clash over controversial Immigration Bill
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida House Speaker Danny Perez is challenging Governor Ron DeSantis about the true reason behind his opposition to a controversial immigration reform bill. As tensions escalate between the legislative and executive branches over this sweeping policy, Perez says he’s hopeful that the governor will pick up the phone to find a resolution.
Despite a reported lack of dialogue, in a chat about the ongoing infighting, Perez said this week he remains focused on turning that big immigration bill lawmakers passed Tuesday, known as the TRUMP Act, into Florida law.
“The legislature’s bill is significantly more conservative and tougher on crime when it comes to illegal immigration,” Perez said.
The 84-page proposal includes mandatory death sentences for undocumented individuals convicted of capital crimes, the elimination of in-state tuition for DACA recipients, and a half-billion-dollar allocation for state and city police to enforce immigration laws. It also proposes giving Florida’s Agriculture Commissioner the authority to oversee immigration enforcement.
Perez noted not only is the commissioner an elected official, but the post has a statewide network and its own law enforcement.
“This is too important of a position to not be held accountable,” said Speaker Perez. “I wanted to ensure that it was a person elected statewide. The Commissioner of Agriculture’s job here is to make sure that local law enforcement and all levels of law enforcement are cooperating with the federal government and President Trump.”
However, Governor DeSantis has sharply criticized the bill, calling it “a very, very grotesque weak piece of legislation.” According to DeSantis, the bill was crafted too hastily and is potentially unconstitutional due to its siphoning of immigration authority away from the governor’s office.
“You have to do a ‘mother may I’ with the Commissioner of Agriculture about whether you can bring in the federal immigration authorities,” he said during one of four immigration roundtables this week. “How ridiculous is that? How does that help us do what we need to do?”
The controversy has escalated into a public battle, with Republicans openly criticizing each other through TV interviews, podcasts, and across social platforms. Accusations of being “Republican In Name Only” are rampant, along with personal attacks and recall petitions.
“If the governor disagrees by calling the bill weak and liberal and all these other things that are just not true,” said Perez. “At that point, it is hard to collaborate with a partner that is unwilling to communicate.”
When asked what he would say to Governor DeSantis directly, Perez said. “I would ask him, what’s, ‘What’s the real reason that you’re against my bill?’ What is it? What don’t you like about the bill? Be honest about it. There’s no Twitter here. You know, he goes on Hannity and Laura Ingraham and like, three times a week. I would ask him to be honest with me: what is the real problem with the bill? Because this is not a weak bill. He knows it’s not a weak bill.”
DeSantis’s team has consistently said they want more stringent measures, like making illegal immigration a state crime, granting deportation powers to Florida, and establishing an immigration czar under the governor’s authority. DeSantis has threatened to veto the bill, and while lawmakers can override it, the necessary Senate votes might not be there.
Perez acknowledged the potential for a veto, saying, “You have to think about what he’s about to veto. He’s about to veto a bill that gives the death penalty to illegal immigrants that rape children. I mean, put that into perspective for a second. Think about that. We did our job. We made the best, most conservative bill that anyone could have ever imagined, the best in the country, and we passed it with a super majority of Republicans and not one Democrat.”
Despite the possibility of a legislative logjam, Perez remained unfazed about his relationship with the governor, emphasizing that in his mind, the rift isn’t a feud; it’s a “disagreement.”
“There’s nothing wrong with disagreeing with someone,” said the Speaker. “The important part is that once you realize that you are in a disagreement, that you were able to converse in order to try and find a solution. That’s the part that’s missing this disagreement. That’s it, right there. So, I mean, eventually, it has to happen. It’s just a matter of when. I would have it tonight. I’d have it after this interview. I would do it whenever.”
“I’ve gotten exhausted from FEMA. We’re 62 and 72 years old, and we’re on Social Security/Disability. What the hell does this country want from us?”
John King shared with ABC Action News the flooding in his Zephyrhills community – more than 3 months after Hurricane Milton.
Pasco County community remains flooded months after Milton
ORLANDO, Fla. – Strong thunderstorms continue to push across Central Florida Thursday evening, with a few storms capable of producing gusty winds, frequent lightning, torrential rainfall and isolated damage before activity gradually winds down later tonight.
The strongest storms are expected through about 10 p.m., with most of the activity weakening and moving offshore by around 11 p.m. Storms are being fueled by sea breeze collisions and abundant moisture across the state. In addition to strong wind gusts, torrential downpours could lead to ponding of water on roads and minor flooding in low-lying and poor-drainage areas.
While storms remain the immediate concern this evening, another round of impactful weather is expected Friday.
The News 6 Weather Team has designated Friday as a Weather Aware Day due to the combination of dangerous heat and the threat for strong to severe thunderstorms.
Before storms develop, temperatures will climb into the low to mid-90s Friday afternoon. Combined with high humidity, it will feel more like 102 to 107 degrees across much of Central Florida. Some locations could once again approach or exceed Heat Advisory criteria.
Scattered thunderstorms are expected to develop during the afternoon and evening hours. The atmosphere will be loaded with tropical moisture, allowing storms to produce frequent lightning, damaging wind gusts, and torrential rainfall.
The Storm Prediction Center has placed all of Central Florida under a Level 1 out of 5 risk for severe weather Friday. While widespread severe weather is not expected, a few storms could become strong enough to produce damaging winds.
In addition, the Weather Prediction Center has highlighted portions of Central Florida for a Level 1 out of 4 risk of excessive rainfall. Any storm will be capable of producing very heavy rain in a short amount of time, which could lead to localized flooding.
The unsettled pattern continues into the weekend. Storm coverage is expected to increase Saturday, and some locations could see multiple rounds of heavy rain. While a few stronger storms remain possible, the flooding threat may become a greater concern by Saturday afternoon and evening.
Looking ahead to next week, rain chances are expected to gradually decrease, but the heat is not going anywhere. High temperatures will remain in the low to mid-90s, with heat index values frequently climbing above 100 degrees. Forecast guidance suggests a higher heat risk could develop once again across Central Florida as we head deeper into next week.
At the beaches, a moderate risk of rip currents continues. Make sure you swim near a lifeguard if you’re heading to the beach.
Copyright 2026 by WKMG ClickOrlando – All rights reserved.
SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA)— A Florida mental health counselor walked into a surprising number of bats inside her office last week.
“We had about 50 bats. In the toilet, in the sink. All over,” Shaltala Boss, a licensed mental health counselor, said.
Boss has since moved her office due to maternity season, when it is illegal to exclude or remove bats from April 16 to August 14, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
“Any form of eviction during this time period will result in baby bats being trapped along with adult bats that may not have emerged. Trapped bats will attempt to escape and may end up in the living space of buildings,” FWC said.
Video provided by Boss showed a bat lying on the ground.
“You definitely didn’t want to come to counseling that day,” Boss said.
Boss has since moved to another location and said it is bat-free.
“Most bats will avoid humans at all costs and use natural roosting structures for shelter during the day. However, bats sometimes find their way into our homes and structures, which can present a health hazard,” FWC said.
Republican Congressman Byron Donalds is trailing Democratic candidate David Jolly in the race to become Florida’s next governor, according to a new poll from Change Research, a Democratic-aligned polling firm.
The survey could be an encouraging sign for Florida Democrats, who have not won a statewide election since 2018 and have struggled as the state shifted steadily toward Republicans in recent election cycles.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican who is term-limited and cannot seek reelection in 2026, won a second term by nearly 20 percentage points in 2022, while Republicans have expanded their voter registration advantage and maintained control of every statewide elected office.
Still, some recent polling has suggested the push to replace DeSantis could be a bit more competitive than many have expected.
President Donald Trump last month again vocalized his support for Donalds, saying in part, “I know Byron well, have seen him tested at the highest and most difficult levels, and he is a TOTAL WINNER!” The president added, “Byron Donalds will be a truly Great and Powerful Governor for Florida, and has my Complete and Total Endorsement — HE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN!”
Trump won the Sunshine State by 13 points in 2024 against then-Vice President Kamala Harris and no Democrat has won the Florida governorship in more than 20 years.
When reached for comment regarding the new poll, Donalds’ campaign referred Newsweek to the X post of Gates McGavick, the team’s communications director. McGavick said in reaction to the poll, “I hear Change Research also sells tremendous ocean front property in Arizona.”
The campaign also referred Newsweek to Ryan Smith’s post on X, while saying he is also affiliated with the campaign. Smith said, “This is a push poll by Democrats for Democrats. The truth is, Florida Democrats will be crying in their kombucha on November 3 when @ByronDonalds is elected governor.”
What To Know
The Change Research survey found Jolly, a former Republican congressman who switched parties and entered the race as a Democrat, leading Donalds in a hypothetical general-election matchup.
Jolly has centered his campaign on affordability issues surrounding insurance costs, housing and healthcare, while Donalds has campaigned as a conservative successor who will attempt to enact Trump’s agenda and fight illegal immigration.
According to the poll, Jolly leads Donalds 47 percent to 42 percent and has a slightly larger margin among likely voters with 49 percent compared to 43 percent.
The poll surveyed 1,273 registered voters of which 1,015 said they will likely vote in the 2026 midterm election. The survey’s margin of error is 2.8 percent.
Also in the poll, Jolly garners 94 percent support from Democrats compared to Donalds’ 77 percent among Republicans.
What Other Polls Show
Another recent Change Research poll shows Jolly leading Donalds 46 percent to 42 percent. The poll was taken from May 13 to May 16 among 2,070 registered voters, of whom 1,593 say they will likely vote in the midterm election. The poll has a margin of error of 2.3 percent.
In a survey at the end of March by Emerson College Polling, Donalds landed 44 percent of the vote compared to Jolly’s 39 percent. The poll shows that 17 percent are undecided. It was taken from March 29 to March 31 among 1,125 likely voters and has a margin of error of 2.8 percent.
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