TALLAHASEE, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday outlined a statewide immigration crackdown, a move designed to back President Donald Trump’s mass deportation plan and apply greater pressure upon the legislative leaders in Florida who remain apprehensive of DeSantis’ call for a special session.

The Governor’s outline comes after Senate President Ben Albritton and House Speaker Danny Perez questioned Florida’s need for a special session on immigration, among other things. The pair, collectively, maintain the issue is better addressed later during the 2025 Legislative Session — and after the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, who plans on launching a mass deportation operation upon taking office.

“Are you kidding me?” DeSantis said Wednesday at a Winter Haven press conference. “This is the time to act. We don’t have time to wait and it’s never premature to do the right thing.”

The governor’s wishlist includes repealing Florida’s in-state tuition discount for undocumented migrants and implementing ID verification for money orders.

It also includes illegal entry penalties under state law; local police power to detain and deport; the appointment of a state wide immigration czar; expanding the definition of gang activity; a legal presumption that all undocumented migrants within the court system are a flight risk; affirmation of citizenship and state residency to vote; and a requirement that local officials support federal immigration enforcement.

“We have to come together and set a state model that supports the federal model, so that we get the illegal criminals out of this country,” said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd.

DeSantis ordered the upcoming special session to start on Jan. 27.

However, DeSantis’ priorities have yet to materialize into legislation — a frustration among some Republicans and Democratic lawmakers who are eager to review the potential bills.

“Give me the bill so I can start to think about them and talk about them with my constituents,” said Melbourne Republican State Sen. Randy Fine. “Well, we don’t have any. Well, why don’t you have those before you call [a special session]? I find the whole thing perplexing.”

Meanwhile, Florida Democrats are urging Republican lawmakers to steer clear of further immigration policy.

“We’re talking about a waste of taxpayer dollars, getting ahead of the federal government and inserting ourselves where the state government should not be,” said House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell. “We cannot have two parallel immigration systems. The Constitution doesn’t allow for it.”

The Florida Constitution gives DeSantis authority to order a special session. However, it doesn’t require lawmakers to pass legislation. In 2010, then-Gov. Charlie Crist ordered a special session to address the BP oil spill. Lawmakers, though, left without passing any legislation.

In addition to immigration reform, DeSantis wants lawmakers to provide hurricane relief, including aid for farmers and condo owners, who’ve seen rising costs after safety reforms implemented after the 2021 Surfside Condominium collapse.

He also wants lawmakers to review Florida’s approach to constitutional ballot initiatives, alleging both fraud and large donors are undermining the process.