DeSantis calls on legislators to pass plan that would require verification of workers' legal status

November 25, 2019 at 5:57 pm EST

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DeSantis calls on legislators to pass plan that would require verification of workers' legal status Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke at The Villages Monday in support of a controversial plan that has been opposed by some on the left and the right.

By Christopher Heath, WFTV.com

November 25, 2019 at 5:57 pm EST

THE VILLAGES, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke at The Villages Monday in support of a controversial plan that has been opposed by some on the left and the right.

The plan, called E-Verify, would require all Florida companies to check the legal status of workers.

"Businesses should be hiring Americans, legal immigrants," the governor said. "Not hire illegally."

The plan is opposed by immigrant rights groups as well as big businesses, as some believe the plan will crack down on cheap immigrant labor, specifically in agriculture, tourism and construction.

E-Verify has been around since 1996, and Florida employers can use it to check the status of workers, but aren't mandated to.

If the plan passes in 2020, businesses that violate E-Verify could have their business license suspended.