TAMPA, Fla. — As Florida's legislative session wrapped up last week, lawmakers passed some sweeping immigration reforms. This includes a couple of big changes for businesses and others for people who are undocumented, specifically Senate Bill 1718.
It's a number that is inducing fear in the immigrant community.
Teresita Matos-Post said the bill, once signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis, will have a ripple effect.
"How can you tell an immigrant or a brown person or a Black person or a white person is undocumented? We are all going to be screened. It is going to affect us all," Matos-Post said.
Since 2019 she has served as the Executive Director for the nonprofit organization Beth-El Farm Worker Ministry.
"The way that it is written it is targeting undocumented families but immigrants in general. You know whether they're documented or not," Matos-Post said.
For more than 40 years, the organization has served its community, specifically migrant workers.
"This provides an opportunity for racial profiling that people will be targeted and they're targeting the citizens in your community who have been contributing to our society for generations," Matos-Post said.
Senate Bill 1718 cracks down on those who are undocumented as well as people who choose to help them. The bill, which is now set to go before Governor DeSantis, states someone who knowingly helps an undocumented person could face felony charges.
As for businesses, if an employer knowingly hires and continues to employ a person who is undocumented, they could face up to a $10,000 fine per undocumented employee and revocation of their license.
Hospitals are involved too. Each facility that accepts Medicaid has to submit quarterly reports to the state about a person's immigration status.
The bill states, "Each hospital that accepts Medicaid must include a provision on its patient admission or registration forms for the patient or the patient's representative to state or indicate whether the patient is a United States citizen or lawfully present in the United States or is not lawfully present in the United States. The inquiry must be followed by a statement that the response will not affect patient care or result in a report of the patient's immigration status to immigration authorities."
"What triggers my heart is specifically the piece about how hospitals are asking for the status to dissuade any families that need medical help. They might not go to the hospital because they're afraid that they're going to be asked about their status," Matos-Post said.
The fear is amplified with the ending of Title 42 this week. It was enacted by former President Donald Trump during the COVID pandemic to limit entrance into the states to reduce the spread of infection.
Governor DeSantis briefly commented about the expected influx of immigrants at a bill signing Monday afternoon.
"That goes for the border, which is a total disaster and which is going to get worse this week," Gov. DeSantis said.
Eliseo Santana is an advocate in the Hispanic community. He echoes Matos-Post's fear.
"The thing that is the most damning is that the anti-immigration law are applied unequally," Santana said.
The Army veteran and Bronx, New York native said he's already felt the negative impacts of anti-immigration, but what alarms him the most is that his humanitarian efforts could end with a felony charge.
"To have someone like me and others, ministers be looked at as potential criminals for helping another human being in need that is un-American. That is something I cannot believe that is happening," Santos said.
Despite the fear, advocates like Santana and Matos-Post said they will continue their mission to help their fellow neighbors despite what the future may bring.
As for the bill, if signed by Governor DeSantis, it will take effect on July 1, 2023.
