Tallahassee, FL - Sarasota Senator Joe Gruters, who is lining up support to become the next chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, wants the state Senate to take another look at “sanctuary cities.”
On Tuesday, Gruters filed a bill (SB 168) called the “Rule of Law Adherence Act,” which would require local governments to comply with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention requests and to repeal sanctuary policies.
Such a ban received the support of Gov.-elect Ron DeSantis during this year’s gubernatorial campaign.
“I’ve always opposed amnesty and stood up for the rule of law in our country,” DeSantis tweeted in July “Cheap foreign labor is not an excuse to let lawlessness prevail in the Sunshine State.”
Critics have contended the proposal is unconstitutional and could lead to racial profiling.
A similar measure was approved by the House in a 71-35 vote during the 2018 legislative session. Gruters was a member of the House during the 2018 session.
The House measure did not advance through the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Gruters, who was elected to the Senate in November, filed his new bill for the legislative session that starts in March.
