Bill McCollum and several state legislators unveiled an Arizona immigration bill for Florida this morning.
The proposed legislation will require law enforcement officers to check suspected illegal immigrants’ status in the course of a lawful stop, require Florida businesses to use the E-Verify system to ensure new hires are legally authorized to work, and enhance penalties for illegal aliens who commit crimes in Florida.
“This legislation will provide new enforcement tools for protecting our citizens and will help our state fight the ongoing problems created by illegal immigration,” said Attorney General McCollum. “Florida will not be a sanctuary state for illegal aliens.”
Like Arizona, the draft legislation requires aliens to carry immigration documentation or face a misdemeanor carrying a sentence of up to 20 days in jail for the first offense. The proposal also makes it a misdemeanor for an illegal alien not authorized to work to seek employment in the state of Florida. […]
After parts of Arizona’s law were struck down in a federal court two weeks ago, attorneys in the Attorney General’s Office reviewed the ruling and made changes to the draft legislation to strengthen it against potential constitutional challenges.
See also: McCollum’s op-ed on immigration published today by National Review Online.