Will Florida Follow Arizona in passing a more stringent immigration law?

A new bill introduced by Florida State Rep. William Snyder is starting to look very similar to the Arizona immigration law enacted last year. Some of the more notable proposals include making it a state crime for non-U.S. residents to not carry documentation (punishable with $100 fine and up to 20 days in jail).  If this bill passes, businesses will be forced to use the federal E-Verify database to run a background check of the legal status of all new employees and if caught hiring illegal immigrations could face probation and potentially loss of state-issued business license.

According to the latest news from Tallahassee, the bill is gaining momentum and is likely to pass.  Our new Governor Rick Scott has already ordered that all government agencies in Florida are to use the federal E-verify database. When the bill passes, business owners must be ready to comply or face harsh sanctions for misconduct.  If you are a business owner, an experienced Fort Lauderdale Immigration lawyer may be able to help you become more familiar with the E-verify process in order to be able to avoid monetary fines or even the loss of your license.