MIRAMAR — Can you buy or sell a Scratch-off ticket or a beer in Florida without showing proof that you are a citizen or have the right to be there?
He told people to “stay tuned.”
Thursday, the governor said that the relationship between the state and federal governments to keep an eye on immigration is being expanded to include the Florida Lottery and many of the state’s businesses.
Nearly 100 police departments in Florida have already signed up with Tallahassee to work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) under the so-called 287(g) program. This program lets state and local police work together to arrest people who are in the country illegally.
DeSantis added that “we’re also not just stopping with law enforcement,” referring to the Florida Lottery, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s Division of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs, as well as the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. It was his words that the agencies “all operate in a target rich environment” when it comes to immigration enforcement.
“During their routine inspection and investigative duties, special agents are oftentimes in contact with people who may be in our country illegally,” he noted. “So we think deputizing those officers in regulatory spaces is going to be another source to lead to these immigration and enforcement efforts.”
But does that mean people will have to show proof of citizenship or legal residency in order to bet, buy lottery tickets, or use other services and goods that are regulated? Or will only vendors, businesses, and workers have to follow the rules?
“I think that remains to be seen how they’re exactly they are going to do it,” he said. “I believe that these people are involved in things that will likely help ICE and DHS with their work.” Watch that space to see how it goes.”
Federal immigration officials called a news conference in southwestern Broward County to talk about the arrest of what they called 1,120 “criminal aliens.” That’s when the governor said those things.
The people who work for the Department of Homeland Security and ICE said that 378 of them already had “final orders of removal,” which means they were going to be deported, from an immigration court.