Florida Senator Joe Gruters is optimistic that Gov. Ron DeSantis will reconsider his plan to veto an anti-illegal immigration bill the governor has dubbed "toothless" and "horrendous," among other things.
A staunch Trump ally and contender for the Chief Financial Officer post, the Sarasota Republican told The Floridian that he still believes there's a chance DeSantis will sign off on Gruters's bill, called the TRUMP Act, despite DeSantis's promises that he will veto it as soon as it gets to his desk.
"I'm optimistic that we can still get in a room, talk to the Governor, and pass this good bill that we've already laid on the table," Gruters said on a phone call. "It's a good, strong bill—probably the most conservative bill that's been passed in the country. Does it go as far as the governor wants? No, but we'll continue to move that ball down the field as we move forward."
Gruters appeared unfazed that DeSantis has repeatedly lambasted the bill as "weak," "toothless," and "horrendous," going so far as to claim that its passage would "neuter" and even intentionally sabotage anti-illegal immigration efforts.
"The governor is an immigration hawk and wants wins. This is a win," Gruters said, noting that while he is "thankful" for DeSantis's leadership, the TRUMP (Tackling and Reforming Unlawful Migration Policy) Act is not the "end-all" immigration bill, but a foundation to begin helping the president with his slew of anti-illegal immigration executive orders.
DeSantis, however, posted early Wednesday morning that his "veto pen is ready." He later hosted two press conferences shredding the measure as a weaker, more ineffective version of the ten bills he had backed for the special session this week. The GOP-run Legislature had other plans.
Senate President Ben Albritton and House Speaker Danny Perez adjourned DeSantis's special session just 15 minutes after it started, killing all of his bills. They immediately called in their own special session starring Gruters's TRUMP Act, which passed both chambers Tuesday night.
Unlike DeSantis's bills, the 84-page TRUMP Act imposes mandatory death sentences for illegal immigrants who commit murder or child rape, creates an incentive program for law enforcement to help with immigration efforts, and crowns Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson Chief Immigration Officer.
It does not include criminal penalties for non-compliant law enforcement, delineate specifics on the illegality of undocumented immigrants voting, or ban unauthorized immigrants from sending or receiving money abroad, as DeSantis's bills had provided for.
"This is about giving the president the tools that he needs to be successful," Gruters said. "I'm hoping that the governor will reconsider and sign this bill, and that cooler heads can prevail, and that we can take this win, and we could all move forward together."
The Governor's Office did not respond to a request for comment.
