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The Florida Legislature has passed a contentious immigration bill, defying Governor Ron DeSantis’ objections and signaling a shift in the state’s approach to immigration enforcement. The legislation, known as the TRUMP Act, was approved late Tuesday, with the Senate voting 21-16 and the House 82-30 in favor. The bill, which focuses on bolstering state-level immigration policies, was significantly revised after receiving feedback from the Trump administration, making it more stringent than initially proposed.

The bill appoints Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson as the state’s chief immigration officer, transferring substantial immigration enforcement powers away from DeSantis’ office. This change sparked criticism from DeSantis and some Republicans, including Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, who questioned the decision to give Simpson such authority instead of keeping it under the governor’s control.

DeSantis has not held back in his criticism of the bill. Following its passage, he emphasized, “We must have the strongest law in the nation on immigration enforcement. We cannot be weak. The bill that narrowly passed the Florida legislature last night fails to honor our promises to voters, fails to meet the moment, and would actually weaken state immigration enforcement.” He added, “The veto pen is ready,” signaling his readiness to reject the legislation.

Despite DeSantis’ objections, the bill includes provisions that penalize jurisdictions that do not cooperate with federal immigration agencies and introduce incentives for local law enforcement agencies to engage in immigration enforcement. It also addresses penalties for undocumented immigrants convicted of capital offenses.

The TRUMP Act carries a hefty $515 million price tag and includes provisions for state and local law enforcement funding. DeSantis now has 15 days to sign, veto the bill, or allow it to become law without his signature. If vetoed, lawmakers could attempt an override in the next session.