Florida to copy Arizona law, but be harsher than SB 1070

[Jeanfromfillmore]

Governor hopeful Bill McCollum wants Florida to copy Arizona law, but be harsher than SB 1070


A Republican running for governor in Florida wants the state to follow in Arizona's footsteps ... then go "one step" further.
Bill McCollum, the Sunshine State's attorney general, has proposed legislation that would mimic the Grand Canyon State's controversial anti-illegal immigration law but also grant more powers to judges in punishing illegal aliens.
"This legislation will provide new enforcement tools for protecting our citizens and will help our state fight the ongoing problems created by illegal immigration," McCollum said in a statement Wednesday.
"Florida will not be a sanctuary state for illegal aliens," he said.
The bill, drafted with the help of fellow Republican Rep. William Snyder, would require "aliens to carry immigration documentation" or face up to 20 days in jail. Illegal immigrants also would be barred from seeking work in the state.
Although those points are similar to the Arizona law, which is now mired in court battles with the federal government and other groups, McCollum's proposal goes further to punish illegal immigrants.
Under his legislation, judges would be allowed to specifically consider a defendant's immigration status while setting bail. The legislation also would allow judges to grant harsher prison times for illegal aliens who commit a crime in Florida.
Changes were made to the bill in the aftermath of Arizona's legal troubles regarding SB 1070, but the bill likely still would face the same scrutiny should it be passed by the state legislature.
"Floridians want to see their elected officials provide leadership to the challenges of illegal aliens living our state," Snyder said in the statement. "This proposal is a significant step forward in confronting illegal immigration."
"I think Arizona is going to want this law," McCollum said in Orlando during a press conference to announce the bill.
Florida is a major U.S. migration destination for nationals from the Caribbean and Latin America. According to the Migration Policy Institute, more than 700,000 illegal immigrants reside in the Sunshine State, and an estimated 2.7 million foreign-born residents call it home.
McCollum is locked in a primary battle with rival Rick Scott. Most polls have put Scott ahead in the race, but by how much varies.
"Today's immigration proposal from Bill McCollum serves as just another example of why he can't be trusted," Scott's campaign communications director Jennifer Baker said in a statement on Wednesday. "Besides flip-flopping on his support of Arizona's legislation, the desperate career politician rushed to present a plan that on Monday he said would be coming in 'a couple of weeks.'"
"It's clear the only way to get McCollum to take any action on anything is when he's down in the polls," she added.
The Republican primary is Aug. 24.

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