Latino truck drivers are encouraging truckers to suspend all deliveries to and from Florida on Saturday to protest the state’s latest immigration law that creates new penalties and restrictions on workers who are in the country illegally.
The protest is set for Saturday because that’s the day the law (SB 1718) signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in May goes into effect.
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Gaeden Burdon, who has driven trucks for 15 years, supports the boycott.
“Of course, you’re going to lose a day of work because of that but I think it is for a good cause,” Burdon said.
K.I. Gates had a different view. He’s been driving trucks for two decades.
“I am not going to worry about it. That’s politics right there,” Gates said. “I try to make money.”
According to the law, private employers with more than 25 employees will be required to use E-Verify for all new hires. Companies can be fined $1,000 a day and have their licenses suspended if they don’t use the system.
The bill also keeps counties and municipalities from being able to issue IDs for those not in the country legally and invalidates out-of-state IDs for anyone without legal permission to be in the country and makes it a felony to use a fake ID to gain employment.
And employers cannot continue to employ a worker who is in the country illegally after finding out that person does not have legal permission to be in the U.S.
Another driver, who declined to be identified, said he supports the new law.
“I feel like if you come into our country, you should come here legally or don’t come here,” he said. “For people to just walk into the country illegally, it’s just not right. It’s not fair.”
There will be criminal penalties for people who violate the law. That includes a $5,000 fine and up to five years in prison if a person knowingly uses false identification to work.
The law also addresses human smuggling, saying there can be a $5,000 fine and up to five years in prison if someone is convicted of trying to smuggle five or more adults into the United States. If someone tries to smuggle a minor, it would be a second-degree felony and up to 15 years in prison, if convicted.
The new law is expected to impact not only the trucking industry but also farming, construction and other industries.
The Florida Policy Institute estimates some industries could lose 10% of their workforce, costing the state $12.6 billion per year.