Florida GOP Pushes Back on DeSantis' Immigration Power Grab

In a surprising turn of events, the Florida legislature, controlled by Republicans, didn't give Governor Ron DeSantis everything he asked for. The governor wanted to boost his anti-immigrant credentials by pushing through new immigration enforcement powers during a special session he called this week. But the newly elected leaders of the House and Senate, Daniel Perez and Ben Albritton, weren't so eager to rush through his plans. Instead of quickly rubber-stamping DeSantis' proposals, they let him know they'd handle the issues in the regular session coming up in March. This move suggests that even within his own party, there are limits to what lawmakers will accept from an autocratic governor, especially when his influence is waning. The special session was supposed to include a bunch of other topics too, which could have been easily managed in the upcoming regular session. But DeSantis wanted to make a splash with his immigration stance now, possibly for political gain. This small act of defiance serves as a reminder that even in a lame-duck situation, elected officials can still push back against overreach. It's a lesson Congress might do well to remember.