Florida
Gov. Ron DeSantis signs 3 bills creating stiffer penalties for illegal immigration
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Today, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed three bills to combat illegal immigration in Florida. These bills also continue Florida’s efforts to maintain law and order and take proactive measures against undocumented migrants who engage in criminal activity.
“The federal government has failed in its responsibility to secure our southern border, leaving states to fend for themselves,” DeSantis said in a news release on Friday. “In Florida, we do not tolerate illegal immigration, let alone lawlessness committed by illegal aliens who shouldn’t be here in the first place. The bills I signed today further enhance Florida’s capabilities to uphold the law.”
DeSantis signed the following bills into law on Friday:
- SB 1036, which enhances penalties for a crime committed by an individual who returns to the country illegally after an initial deportation.
- HB 1451, which prevents counties and municipalities from accepting ID cards issued to illegal aliens by other jurisdictions.
- HB 1589, which increases penalties on individuals who operate a vehicle without a license.
DeSantis signed the bills two days after his office announced the deployment of additional officers to South Florida and the Florida Keys amid a potential surge of migrants from Haiti, due
to mounting violence, as armed gangs fight in the capital of Port-au-Prince.
“I’m sad to see that situation decline as much as right now, it’s never been that worse before,” Frantz Beneus told WPTV’s Todd Wilson. “I don’t see no way out, because it’s mixed with so many different problems.”
Lawmakers from Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast weighed in on Thursday regarding DeSantis’ orders to deploy additional officers to South Florida to stop the potential influx of immigration from Haiti amid the unrest.
Many of the state representatives who spoke to WPTV’s Cassandra Garcia believe the state’s resources should be used in other ways to help the Caribbean nation.
“Use the resources of those officers and instead provide aid,” Florida Rep. Kelly Skidmore, D-Boca Raton, said. “At least go in and get some kids out of the orphanage or go and get some people out of the hospital or go and help some people. How is this helpful?”
“I would suggest that the best way possible is to help the people of Haiti to establish a stable government and a stationary government there,” Florida Rep. Toby Overdorf, R-Palm City, said. “As far as the people that are trying to come here, that is their choice to try to do that. We have a broken immigration system and this just goes to further tax that.”
FORT MYERS, Fla. – An injured manatee and her calf are recovering after authorities on a boat rescued them from the Orange River near Fort Myers on Thursday.
What we know:
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office said its Marine Unit, Advanced Technology Support Unit, drone pilots and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission helped in saving the pair after the mother was found hurt in the water and in need of medical attention.
READ: Missing Florida man found stuck in mud without food or water for days: PFD
Video shows authorities pulling the frantic manatees safely onto the boat in netting before taking them to shore.
Courtesy: Lee County Sheriff’s Office
Both animals will be taken to ZooTampa for evaluation and medical care.
What we don’t know:
LCSO did not say the extent of the mother’s injuries.
By the numbers:
As of Feb. 20, there have been 85 manatee deaths across Florida in 2026, according to the FWC. Last year reportedly saw a total of 632 manatee deaths.
Dig deeper:
Earlier this month, the FWC began investigating a spike in manatee deaths, specifically in Lee County, where officials say 25 were found dead within a week.
READ: FWC investigating spike in manatee deaths over the past week
The FWC believes these manatee deaths could be from several factors: cold stress, a lack of seagrass and polluted waterways.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Trump threatens tariffs on countries that supply oil to Cuba
Trump warned Cuba to reach an agreement with the U.S. after signing an executive order to impose tariffs on countries that supply the island with oil.
HAVANA (Reuters) – Four people were killed and seven others were wounded on Feb. 25 after a speedboat from Florida entered Cuban waters and opened fire on Cuban forces, who returned fire, Cuba’s Interior Ministry said.
All four dead were aboard the Florida-based speedboat, and another six were injured, Cuba said. In addition, the Cuban commander of border patrol boat was wounded, Cuba said.
The wounded foreign attackers were evacuated and received medical attention, Cuba said.
The incident took place amid heightened tension between Cuba and the United States, which has blocked virtually all oil shipments to the island, increasing pressure on the Communist-run government. American forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas on Jan. 3, removing a key Cuban ally from power.
“Faced with the current challenges, Cuba reaffirms its commitment to protecting its territorial waters, based on the principle that national defense is a fundamental pillar for the Cuban state in safeguarding its sovereignty and stability in the region,” the Cuban statement said.
Reporting by Daniel Trotta in Havana.
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