Several organizations sue Florida over DeSantis’ new immigration law

Several groups in favor of civil rights filed a lawsuit Monday against the immigration law SB1718 of Florida (USA.)considering that it is “unconstitutional, xenophobic” and “criminalizes” the community immigrant in a state where “a fifth of the population was born abroad”.

The lawsuit, brought by the Southern Poverty Law Center, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and its Florida chapter, Americans for Immigrant Justice and the American Immigration Council, argues that SB1718 represents “a threat to the rights and well-being of every individual in the state”not only for immigrants, and it is “discriminatory”.

This “harmful law” is designed for “inflict cruelty” to the immigrant community, it is “unconstitutional and undermines our democracy”, Paul R. Chavez, senior supervising attorney for Southern Poverty Law’s Immigrant Justice Project, said in a statement today.

The lawsuit centers on provisions of Section 10 of the law, which criminalize the transportation of people to Florida who may have entered the United States illegally without federal inspection. The complaint says it is unconstitutional for a state to unilaterally regulate federal immigration, subject people to punishment without warning, and use a term as vague as “inspection”.

The case was brought against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis; State Attorney General Ashley Moody; Florida State’s Attorney Nicholas B. Cox and the Attorneys General of Florida’s 20 Judicial Circuits, on behalf of the Florida Farm Workers Association and various affected individuals, including U.S. citizens and undocumented drivers and passengers who habitually travel to and from Florida.

The complainant organizations further contend that a number of sections of SB1718 harm Florida immigrants and their families, and “seeks to attack and intimidate immigrant families in all facets of their livess”.

Thus, the aforementioned law, which entered into force on July 1, “inhibits and intimidates Florida immigrants seeking health care”expands the requirements of E-Verify (system to verify the eligibility of the employee) and the sanctions to the companies.

Similarly, the law prohibits local government from funding new community ID cards and invalidates certain driver’s licenses from states such as Connecticut, Vermont, Delaware and Hawaii.

This legislation “It is not the solution to any problem”but “an attempt to scapegoat and terrorize vulnerable families and workers already burdened by the difficult federal immigration process”denounced, for his part, Amien Kacou, a lawyer for the ACLU of Florida.

“Our challenge is aimed at upholding the Constitution and protecting our communities from the growing threat of discrimination posed by this new Florida law”Kacou narrowed down.

In the 35-page document, civil rights organizations insist that the aforementioned law “unconstitutionally criminalizes the act of transporting a broad category of immigrants to Florida.”

A category that “puts thousands of Floridians and out-of-state residents, both citizens and non-citizens, at risk of being arrested, charged, and prosecuted” for the “felony” of transporting people to Florida under “vaguely defined” terminology.

So, the lawsuit adds, it is possible that “families cannot visit each other across state lines”, that “parents who live near the state line cannot take their children to medical appointments or soccer games”or co-workers cannot drive each other to work.

“Section 10 (of SB1718) inflicts enormous damage on people’s ability to carry out their daily lives”alert the demand.

Source: EFE