MIAMI – Florida lawmakers are rejecting Gov. Ron DeSantis’ push for a special legislative session aimed at enforcing stricter immigration laws ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s return to office.
While DeSantis holds the authority to call a special session, leaders in the Florida House and Senate have the power to legislate — or not.
DeSantis announced his intention Monday morning to convene a special session to address immigration enforcement, including a law requiring state and local law enforcement to assist in mass deportations and the repeal of in-state tuition for undocumented students.
The response from legislative leaders came swiftly.
By late Monday afternoon, both House Speaker Paul Renner and Senate President Kathleen Passidomo dismissed the call as “premature” and “irresponsible,” arguing that guidance from the Trump administration is needed before proceeding.
Complicating the situation, DeSantis’ official proclamation for the special session wasn’t filed until 6:31 p.m., hours after his announcement, signaling a deliberate standoff with GOP leaders.
This reflects a notable shift in dynamics since the governor’s first term, when he rarely faced resistance from his own party.
Senate Democratic leader Jason Pizzo seized on the moment, posting on social media, “Here’s what an autonomous branch of government looks like.”
DeSantis’ proposed measures include ending in-state tuition for undocumented students — a policy championed a decade ago by then-Representative Jeanette Nuñez, now the lieutenant governor.
At the time, Nuñez had supported the law as a benefit for so-called “Dreamers,” undocumented youth brought to the U.S. as children who know no other home.
The governor has characterized the policy as an incentive for illegal immigration. Senator Randy Fine, of southern Brevard County and DeSantis ally, has already filed a bill to repeal it.
“There are no laws filed for any special session and no special session on the calendar for House and Senate,” said Local 10′s Glenna Milberg.
Other issues DeSantis aimed to include in the special session, such as financial relief for condo owners and hurricane victims, were dismissed by legislative leaders, who assured that these topics were already slated for discussion during the regular session starting in March.
For now, Florida’s legislature appears content to chart its own course, signaling a new chapter in the state’s political landscape.