Hispanic civil rights organization hosting town hall about new immigration laws
TAMPA, Fla. - The League of United Latin American Citizens, or LULAC, is hosting a town hall meeting Thursday to answer questions about Senate Bill 1718 from the community.
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the sweeping, anti-illegal immigration legislation in May. The new rules officially go into effect Saturday, July 1.
MORE: Gov. Ron DeSantis signs bill aimed at illegal immigration in Florida
Marginalized communities have questions about new anti-illegal immigration laws.
The bill, known as SB 1718, requires businesses to check the immigration status of workers, cracks down on people who bring undocumented immigrants into Florida, and requires hospitals that accept Medicaid to ask patients if they are in the country legally.
"There's a lot of fear. Fear of the unknown. A lot of fear among marginalized communities of what may happen, particularly about racial profiling," LULAC President of Council 7259 David Sinclair said.
It’s why LULAC is hosting a public meeting Thursday, June 29 at 4 p.m. at 1002 East Palm Ave in Tampa to answer questions from the community.
"Many members of the community are working off the emotional response to what they believe the content of the bill is," Sinclair said. "Many have not read the bill. There is a need for more information."
Gov. Ron DeSantis wants to declare the southern border a national emergency if he's elected president.
RELATED: Bay Area businesses temporarily close Thursday to protest Florida’s new immigration law
Opponents of SB 1718 have hosted recent rallies across the state, including one on June 1 at the corner of Dale Mabry and Columbus in Tampa. Organizers called the series of demonstrations 'A Day Without Immigrants.’
USF political science and public administration professor J. Edwin Benton told FOX 13 that SB 1718 could have potential economic ramifications.
"Many farmers or people who employ these people are concerned that they won't be able to harvest their crops or their fruits, vegetables, and so forth, and it could hurt Florida’s economy," Benton said. "And that's contrary to what Governor DeSantis had campaigned on, both here in Florida and nationally in seeking the Republican nomination for the presidency, saying Florida is open for business."
Experts say that the new bill that goes into effect on Saturday, July 1 could impact Florida's economy.
Vowing to "stop the invasion," Republican presidential candidate DeSantis unveiled a wide-ranging border security plan at an event in Texas along the U.S.-Mexico border Monday.
DeSantis said he will declare the crisis at the southern border a "national emergency on day one" if elected to the White House.
"That will give us authorities to be able to marshal all available resources, to be able to meet this moment and reestablish the sovereignty of our country," DeSantis said. "That, of course, involves reversing Joe Biden's disastrous border policies. We are going to end catch and release. We are going to end phony asylum claims."