SB 2‑B is a comprehensive state-level immigration enforcement bill intended to strengthen Florida’s coordination with federal immigration authorities, expand state enforcement capacity, and impose new criminal and administrative requirements related to noncitizens. It centralizes immigration responsibilities in the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (DACS) and creates new programs and criminal penalties to support federal enforcement.
Designates the Commissioner of Agriculture as Florida’s Chief Immigration Officer, with duties to:
- Serve as the state liaison to federal immigration agencies and to recommend legislative changes;
- Report to the Legislature by March 15, 2025, on vacant correctional/county jail beds available for subletting to ICE;
- Serve as the state’s “authorized state officer” under the Laken Riley Act;
- Have sole authority to declare a state of emergency related to illegal immigration/migration.
Creates the Office of State Immigration Enforcement within DACS’s Division of Law Enforcement to coordinate state, local, and federal immigration enforcement and to absorb certain immigration programs (including the Unauthorized Alien Transport program).
Establishes a State Immigration Enforcement Council to advise the chief immigration officer: composition includes seven sheriffs, four police chiefs (appointed by the chief officer), and the FDLE executive director.
Creates a Local Law Enforcement Immigration Grant Program to award appropriated funds to local agencies for costs tied to cooperating with federal immigration enforcement (including subletting detention beds to ICE, equipment, travel/training, and apprenticeship programs).
Mandates that all units of government, their officers, contractors and public‑private entities “cooperate to the fullest extent possible” with federal immigration enforcement.
Criminal justice changes:
- Reclassifies certain misdemeanors where the defendant has prior unlawful reentry convictions;
- Creates a third‑degree felony for a noncitizen who votes and a separate felony for aiding/soliciting a noncitizen to vote; adds aiding/soliciting noncitizen voting to potential racketeering predicates;
- Requires law enforcement to comply with immigration detainers, notify the state attorney when a detainer exists, and provide inmate booking lists on federal request;
- Requires consideration and verification of immigration status in pretrial release decisions and notification of the state attorney when an arrested person’s immigration status is relevant;
- Narrows some witness/victim information‑sharing exceptions to ensure relevance to U.S. crimes and prosecutions.
Driver licenses and vehicle transactions: clarifies accepted foreign passports and requires new U.S. citizens to obtain replacement driver licenses within 30 days of naturalization.
Postsecondary education: beginning July 1, 2025, out‑of‑state fee waivers at public postsecondary institutions are limited to U.S. citizens or persons lawfully present; institutions must reevaluate current waiver recipients.
