Tallahassee, FL – February 21, 2025
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has officially vetoed the Tackling and Reforming Unlawful Migration Policy (TRUMP) Act, a controversial immigration bill passed by the state legislature during a special session in late January. The veto, enacted on February 20, 2025, underscores a deepening rift between DeSantis and Republican legislative leaders over how best to align Florida with President Donald Trump’s aggressive immigration agenda.
The TRUMP Act, championed by lawmakers like House Speaker Daniel Perez and Senate President Ben Albritton, aimed to bolster state support for federal immigration enforcement. It allocated over $500 million to enhance local law enforcement coordination with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), imposed stricter penalties for undocumented immigrants committing crimes, and controversially shifted immigration oversight from the governor’s office to Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson. The bill also sought to repeal in-state tuition for “Dreamers”—undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children—and included a mandatory death penalty for certain capital offenses committed by those without legal status.
DeSantis, however, slammed the legislation as “weak” and “watered-down,” arguing it failed to deliver the robust enforcement measures he believes Florida voters demand. In public statements, he criticized the transfer of authority to Simpson, suggesting it created a conflict of interest given the agricultural sector’s reliance on immigrant labor. He also contended that the bill lacked mandates for local law enforcement to fully comply with federal immigration efforts, a cornerstone of his own proposals.
The veto marks the culmination of weeks of political tension. Initially, DeSantis called for a special session to push his own immigration package, only for GOP lawmakers to gavel it out and convene their own, passing the TRUMP Act instead. Despite its passage—82-30 in the House and 21-16 in the Senate—the Senate vote fell short of the two-thirds majority needed to override a veto, leaving the bill’s fate sealed.
Following the veto, DeSantis brokered a compromise with lawmakers, signing a revised set of immigration laws on February 13, 2025. These measures, dubbed some of the “toughest in the country” by supporters, established a State Board of Immigration Enforcement led by the governor and allocated $298 million for local enforcement support. They retained the mandatory death penalty provision but restored DeSantis’s authority over immigration policy, addressing his key objections.
The episode highlights a shifting power dynamic in Florida’s Republican-dominated government. While DeSantis ultimately prevailed, the public defiance from legislative leaders signals a potential waning of his once-ironclad grip on the statehouse. Political observers note that the clash reflects broader stakes: DeSantis’s legacy as a term-limited governor and his alignment with Trump’s national deportation plans.
For now, the vetoed TRUMP Act remains a flashpoint, with DeSantis framing it as a victory for stronger borders. “Florida will not settle for half-measures,” he said during a recent roundtable. Whether this stance solidifies his influence—or exposes new vulnerabilities—remains to be seen as the state navigates its role in Trump’s immigration crackdown.