Florida ICE enforcement bill; Marijuana petitions ruling – Spectrum News 13
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Florida Democrats release a plan to require immigration enforcement officers to identify themselves, and an appellate court invalidates over 70,000 signatures in support of a ballot initiative on marijuana.
Florida Democrats are spotlighting legislation that they say would help protect Florida residents and undocumented migrants. The proposals come amid the 2026 Florida legislative session, as Florida Republicans look to expand immigration enforcement across the state.
Florida itself is not immune to the nationwide debate surrounding immigration enforcement.
“We stand at a crossroads where we need to decide what world we live in,” State Rep. Dotie Joseph said.
To that end, state Democrats are asking the state to help rein things in. If approved, SB 316, otherwise known as the Visible Act, would ban masks, require police to self id, plus create safe spaces around schools and churches.
“We are not a dictatorship. Secret police belong in the history books, not Florida streets,” State Rep. Angie Nixon said.
In addition, Florida Democrats want to once again offer in-state tuition to DACA recipients, also known as dreamers.
“I will always work as hard as I have to make my dreams come true. No matter how hard the odds are stacked against me. I love my beautiful sunshine state of Florida and I’m a Florida kid though and through,” UCF student and DACA recipient Alexander Vallejos said.
In 2025, Florida stopped offering in-state tuition to the state’s undocumented migrants.
“Well, look, I don’t think it’s fair to ask hardworking Floridians who are struggling to make ends meet to spend $45 million subsidizing the education of people who shouldn’t even be here,” Rep. Randy Fine said.
The proposals come as cities nationwide are witnessing immigration protests.
And wrestling with debates over whether cities should cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“That is not a recipe for success. That is not the way that you do business. And so, we’re going to continue with. With positive cooperation. It’s certainly made a difference here in Florida,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said.
Things in Minneapolis are especially tense — where ICE agents have now shot and killed two U.S. citizens.
“They feel they can do anything they want, even including executing a United States citizen, Alex Pretti in broad daylight,” State Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith said.
The bill still has to go through three committees before it can be voted on by the full Senate.
A district court of appeals ruled with the state to invalidate more than 70,000 petition signatures for a recreational marijuana amendment.
The state alleged they were signed by “inactive voters” and were gathered in violation of state law.
The lawsuit challenging that was brought by Smart and Safe Florida, a group trying to get enough petition signatures to put the amendment on the November ballot.
They have to submit 900,000 signatures by February 1.
According to the Florida Division of Elections, so far the group has submitted just over 760,000 valid signatures.
The figure is about 86 percent of the required total.
The lawsuit against the state on the petition signatures is just one of the many legal challenges.
In a separate challenge to the amendment, a judge upheld the state’s decision to throw out 200,000 signatures, ruling that Safe and Smart Florida did not display the full text of the proposed amendment.