TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody is bringing a multistate action against President Joe Biden for fail-ing to enforce federal immigration law. The attorneys general of Alabama and Georgia joined Attorney General Moody in a complaint for declaratory and injunctive relief, arguing that the president is failing to perform the duties required by Con-gress by continuing to operate under unlawful immigration enforcement priorities. Under these priorities, the Biden admin-istration is refusing to detain and deport criminals in the country illegally—directly contrary to federal law.

The immigration enforcement priorities are also contrary to precedent set by presidents of both political parties. As Obama administration Solicitor General Donald Verrilli recognized, “Congress has told the Department of Homeland Security that it has to prioritize the removal of criminal aliens.”

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “The Biden administration’s refusal to deport criminals here illegally after they com-plete their sentences makes us all less safe. Biden’s lax immigration policies are exacerbating the opioid crisis, facilitating human trafficking and further jeopardizing overall public safety. As Attorney General, I will continue fighting these unlaw-ful immigration policies until the president is forced to do his job and secure the southwest border.” Continue reading →

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Frustrated by the border crisis and the federal government’s refusal to enforce its own laws, Attorney General Ashley Moody and Congressman Bill Posey today announced legislative efforts to give states more authority to combat illegal immigration. The congressional legislation, H.R. 7413, would allow state officials to demand the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security enforce federal immigration law in certain circumstances. DHS will then have the option to either enforce the law or deputize state officials to carry out the federal immigration duties.

he bill comes just days after President Joe Biden announced the termination of Title 42, a pandemic-era rule that allows border agents to quickly expel migrants attempting to enter the U.S. who traveled from a country where a communicable disease is present. DHS estimates that there might already be 25,000 migrants waiting in shelters just south of the border for Title 42 to come to an end. There are also projections that customs and border patrol agents could see up to 18,000 migrants a day after the removal of the policy.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “In less than a year and a half, the Biden administration has obliterated our southwest border and it’s about to get even worse as the president prepares to end Title 42. We can no longer trust this administration to enforce the law. It is time for swift action to protect the American people. That is why, Representative Posey and I are taking this matter to Congress and asking the legislative branch to let the states protect our citizens by enforcing public-safety immigration laws when Biden won’t.” Continue reading →

Dear Friends,

The 2022 Legislative Session has concluded and it is nice to return home to family, friends, and the good people of Senate District 12. Over the next few columns, we plan to share a few highlights of what was done in Tallahassee over the last few months.

First, we want to share some budget numbers with you. Florida, thanks to a constitutional mandate, must pass a balanced budget every year. This means that we do not spend more money than what you, the taxpayer, sends us. This year, thanks to our robust economy, Florida’s budget set a new record at $112.1 billion. This budget leaves $8.9 billion in state reserves (our rainy day fund), establishes a $1 billion state inflation fund to help offset the rising costs of inflation, and provides $658 million in broad based tax relief to Florida families.

Within this budget, the legislature increased K-12 per-student funding to the highest level in state history and invested $800 million to increase the salaries of classroom teachers, a $250 million increase over the prior year. Continue reading →

Dear Thomas,

Thanks to all your voices, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has announced that they are pausing the directive to remove Florida panther (FP) 260 from the wild!

FWF believes all agency actions need to be made based on sound science and research. FP 260 has never been a threat to humans and has only exhibited normal panther behavior.

Thank you to all our supporters who sent in letters opposing the decision to remove FP 260. Your advocacy played a critical role in giving FP260 a reprieve! It’s important to note that USFWS has only agreed to pause its plans to remove this individual panther. Now, they must reverse the decision completely in accordance with science and established protocols. Then we can address the larger issue of ensuring proper and effective compensation programs to ranchers who suffer monetary losses.

The rare Florida panther is the symbol of wild Florida. We must act now to keep it on the landscape for ourselves and future Floridians.

On March 24, 2022, in News Releases, by Staff

MEMORANDUM

TO:                  Tom Berger, Director of Real Estate Management and Development

FROM:            Governor Ron DeSantis

DATE:             March 24, 2022

RE:                  Flags at Half-Staff in Honor of Former United States Secretary of State Madeleine Albright 

On Wednesday, March 23, 2022, Former United States Secretary of State Madeleine Albright passed away at the age of 84 after battling cancer. In 1996, Albright became the first woman to serve as United States Secretary of State. While serving in this role, she was the highest-ranking woman in the history of American government. Previously, she served as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations. Prior to her notable career as an American diplomat, Albright made her way to the United States as a child of Czech refugees who fled from Nazi and Soviet oppression in Eastern Europe.

Pursuant to the President’s orders and as a mark of respect, I hereby direct the flags of the United States and the State of Florida to be flown at half-staff at all local and state buildings, installations, and grounds throughout the State of Florida immediately until sunset on Sunday, March 27, 2022.

On March 16, 2022, in News Releases, by Staff

HIALEAH, Fla. – Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced $289 million across Florida for programs that will ensure Florida is continuing to meet the needs of its students, teachers and families while remaining a national leader in closing education achievement gaps and advancing student growth. Governor DeSantis made the announcement at Hialeah Educational Academy, a school that has dedicated STEM programs and offers certificate programs in a variety of fields including law enforcement, nursing and fire rescue. The $289 million includes funding for STEM programs, civics education and after-school and summer learning programs.

“I am proud to announce an additional $289 million for programs that will improve student achievement and close learning gaps,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “This announcement builds on our accomplishments over the past three years to make Florida a national leader on education, with our focus on civics, early literacy and STEM programs. I look forward to more announcements in the coming weeks as we continue investing in education for Florida students.” Continue reading →

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the appointment of Diane Spencer and Roberta Ulrich to the Sumter County Board of County Commissioners.

Diane Spencer 

Spencer, of The Villages, is a retired attorney with 36 years of experience previously working as a claim attorney for State Farm Fire and Casualty Company. She is currently elected to and serves on The Villages Community Development District #5 and previously served on the North Sumter Utility Development District. Spencer earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida and juris doctor from Nova Southeastern University.

Roberta Ulrich 

Ulrich, of The Villages, is a retired mathematician. She previously worked at the Goddard Space Flight Center analyzing Mars data and has experience working in the federal government and in private industry. Ulrich earned her bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Duquesne University.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody is issuing a Consumer Alert warning Floridians about potential cyberattacks due to growing tensions in Europe. This comes on the heels of a warning from Washington, D.C. that Russia is exploring options for a potential attack. Critical infrastructure is thought to be the most likely target of such an attack; however, attacks can be more broad, meaning anyone with information online could be affected—leading to losses in money, private information and use of digital devices.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “Cyberattacks are not always narrowly targeted. In fact, many hackers cast wide nets in an effort to steal as much information as possible. With the growing tensions in Europe and new warnings out of Washington, I want to encourage all Floridians to remain diligent in their efforts to protect identities and financial information online.”

Cybersecurity experts know that hackers cast wide nets, often ensnaring small businesses, nonprofits and private citizens when launching these online assaults. Attorney General Moody is warning consumers about the possibility of widespread cyberattacks. Continue reading →