Florida lawmakers have passed a bill to expand a state program used to relocate migrants to Democratic-led cities — the legislation would allow state officials to relocate migrants from anywhere in the country, not just Florida.
, which would set aside $10 million for the program, now heads to Gov. Ron DeSantis , who is expected to sign it into law.
DeSantis and other Republicans have argued that the program is an effective way of tackling a surge in migration to the U.S.-Mexico border that has overwhelmed southern states, but immigration advocates counter that the practice is dehumanizing and uses migrants as political pawns.even though the program only set aside money to relocate migrants from within Florida.
for the initial program specifies that the money will help transport migrants out of Florida — not necessarily Texas.