MIAMI – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is calling for a special legislative session to align state policies with President-elect Donald Trump’s promised crackdown on illegal immigration, but the move has drawn resistance from Republican leaders in the state legislature.
Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez and Senate President Ben Albritton sent a joint letter Monday dismissing the notion of a special session as “premature” and criticizing the governor’s proposals as lacking substance.
The session is currently scheduled for the week of Jan. 27, shortly after Trump’s inauguration.
“As you know, this Legislature will address illegal immigration, condominiums, petition initiatives and hurricane recovery this session, which starts in 50 days. Calling a special session at this time is premature,” the letter reads.
Republican leaders emphasized their support for Trump and his immigration agenda but argued that acting without detailed guidance from the federal government could hinder the incoming administration’s efforts.
“It is completely irresponsible to get out ahead of any announcements President Trump will make, especially when uninformed or ill-timed state action could potentially impair or impede the success of President Trump’s forthcoming efforts to end illegal immigration, close our borders and protect the sovereignty of our nation,” they wrote.
The letter also took issue with the governor’s approach, saying he had presented only “fragments of ideas” without actual bill language or meaningful details for lawmakers to consider.
Read the memo in its entirety:
Mauricio Maldonado
Mauricio Maldonado is a digital editor for CBS Miami and has been a digital journalist in the South Florida area since 1997. Mauricio started at the Miami Herald in 1990 and transitioned over to their online team in 1997. In 2001, he moved north to lend his talents to SunSentinel.com, where he spent 17 years. Mauricio has been with CBS Miami since 2018.
