Activists Promise Legal Action Against Arizona Style Law
Activists who are not willing to accept any type of Arizona style immigration reform have promised to sue the state if Florida tries to pass it. The Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center, as well as the Florida American Civil Liberties Union have planned to sue the state as soon as the legislature passes any type of immigration law that resembles that of the Arizona law. There are two pending immigration bills in the House and in the Senate. Those who are immigrant advocates are unhappy with the legislation within the House bill, which is said is very close to the one Arizona passed last year that is currently in appeals after a federal appeals court ruled parts of the law unconstitutional.

House Bill
The House bill would provide local law enforcement officers with the need to check the immigration status of any person it brings under investigation, even if that person is never actually arrested as a result of the investigation. In addition, it also allows local officers to check the immigration status of anyone whenever the officer suspects that someone is in the country illegally. It also puts measures on the employers in the country to use the federal E-Verify system, a costly and long process, to ensure that anyone hired in the state is legally allowed to work in the country. According to the executive director of the advocacy group, Cheryl Little voices her concerns. "Some of our legislators are trying to push forward bills that would have devastating effects on the state." She believes that such a law will make immigrants in the country fearful of law enforcement and thus unlikely to cooperate with local officials. She says, "If one of these bills becomes law, FIAC is ready to sue."

Senate Bill
The Senate bill is more limited in its requirements, but it still provides for the requirement for local law enforcement officials to check the status of immigration for inmates, by encouraging law enforcement to go beyond the use of the federal criminal and immigration database. In addition, this bill would allow businesses to let employees use a driver's license as proof that they are able to work in the state, rather than the use of the E-verify system. But, those who are opposing this senate bill are also those in favor of strong immigration rules. They believe this bill is worthless because it is possible for illegal immigrants to easily forge drivers licenses from other states and thus it does not help to prove the immigrant's ability to work in the state.

What To Move To
Many believe that the House bill which is so close to that of the Arizona immigration bill is a waste of time, since the Arizona bill has already been blocked by federal courts. The House provision allows for state criminal judges to decide if individuals are in the country illegally, as a way to help them with sentencing, a job many believe should be left to only the federal authorities.