JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The fund Governor Ron DeSantis has used to bankroll the state’s immigration efforts, foreign evacuation missions, and responses to natural disasters is set to expire in 11 days if the legislature fails to act soon.
That fund, created in 2022, is intended to help the state to quickly respond during states of emergency, and over the years, it’s been used to dole out more than $6.5 billion.
While the bulk of that money has gone to hurricane response, roughly $575 million has been spent on the state’s immigration efforts, including the construction of Alligator Alcatraz and Deportation Depot.
Despite the Governor claiming back in October a $608 million federal reimbursement had been approved to the state back for those efforts, state officials revealed on Thursday that money still hasn’t been received, indicating the Department of Justice is holding up the payments.
“We don’t have those resources to respond to real emergencies,” said State Senator Carlos Gillermo Smith (D-Orlando).
Senator Smith voted against the creation of the fund back in 2022, fearing it could be used to fund missions outside of natural disaster response.
His fears came true when the Governor declared a state of emergency on immigration the next year.
It’s an emergency declaration that has been repeatedly extended for more than three years now, allowing for state laws to be waived, like requirements for contracts to go out for bid.
“Lots of contractors who are well connected to the Governor, because of this emergency response fund, have enriched themselves from this humanitarian crisis that is happening down at the Everglades,” said Smith.
Despite concerns raised by Democrats over how the money has been spent, State Senator Danny Burgess (R-Zephyrhills) argued putting too many guardrails around the fund could leave the state vulnerable.
“We’re missing things like mass shootings. I don’t think we want to put ourselves type of a predicament, God forbid that ever happens again. That’s the risk we run when we overprescribe,” said Burgess.
The Senate advanced a bill to the floor on Thursday that would extend the emergency fund through December of next year, but similar legislation in the House hasn’t even been scheduled for a hearing.
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