In May 2023, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed the Senate bill into law. (SB) 1718 to law. The law, which is expected to take effect on July 1, 2023, is in response to the expected increase in migrant activity at the border following the termination of Title 42 restrictions on border entry during the COVID-19 pandemic. , would make a drastic change to the state’s immigration policy. The Act requires hospitals to collect information on immigration status, creates penalties for hiring illegal immigrants, expands employment verification screening requirements for all employers with 25 or more employees, Including revocation of driver’s license, establishment of legal action, etc. Establishes criminal penalties for transferring illegal immigrants into the state, increases funding to move or bus immigrants to other parts of the United States, and gives the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) immigration enforcement powers to expand.
These changes can have health and other far-reaching implications for immigrant families, beyond the target illegal immigration. Overall, Florida has approximately 1.8 million noncitizen immigrants, including both legally staying and illegal immigrants, who make up more than 8% of her population in the state (Figure 1). Many Florida residents live in immigrant families, often including people with mixed immigrant status, including U.S.-born children.
This change can increase anxiety among immigrant families and adversely affect daily life, physical health, and mental well-being. Growing anxiety, combined with new requirements for hospitals to collect information about immigration status, has encouraged families to avoid seeking medical care for themselves and their children, which may include U.S.-born citizens. can become, which can lead to adverse health effects. Given these concerns, American Medical Association We suggest avoiding explicitly recording the immigration status of patients and their families in medical records.
The legislation is also likely to affect the state’s economy and workforce, with some reported impacts even before it took effect.local Restaurant industry The state says it has lost not only longtime employees because of the new law, but also customers who are afraid to go out in public. Agriculture The construction industry has also been hit. abandoned construction site Even in states after the passage of SB 1718. report Truck drivers threaten to boycott Florida.
Given the important role immigrants play in Florida’s workforce, especially in certain industries, these impacts are likely to continue to grow. Nearly three-quarters of non-elderly non-citizen immigrants work as well as the share of citizen immigrants. Noncitizen immigrants make up 11% of the state’s total non-elderly adult labor force, but they represent a higher proportion of workers in certain industries, nearly four in ten (37%) of the state’s agricultural workers, They make up almost a quarter (23%) of farmers. Including more than one of her ten among construction workers, as well as service workers (14%) and transport workers (14%). The impact of lost workers in these industries could have even greater knock-on effects across state and other economies.
across Florida, texasThe state legislature recently passed a bill pending consideration by the Senate. The measure would create a dedicated immigration enforcement unit in border counties with high Hispanic and noncitizen populations, high uninsured rates, and a more limited supply of certain health care providers. than cross-border counties. At the federal level, Border Security Act 2023Restricting asylum status, requiring proof of employment and resuming construction of a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, which recently passed the House of Representatives, has no clear path through the Senate. Given the role immigrants play as part of society at a time when immigration continues to be a contentious issue at both the state and federal levels, it is difficult to estimate the long-term economic and health impacts of these types of policy changes. It will be important to evaluate and consider. country’s population and labor force;
