Biden urges lawmakers to pass border bill

President Joe Biden is urging lawmakers to pass a sweeping bipartisan border policy proposal that Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, oppose. Meanwhile, some Republicans in Tallahassee are looking for ways to ensure control over marijuana potency in the state.

Biden urges lawmakers to pass border deal as Democrats slam DeSantis for State Guard deployment

President Joe Biden is urging Congress to pass the bipartisan border proposal that appears all but dead.

A deal struck by members of the Senate this weekend has quickly fallen apart amid opposition from Republicans, including former President Donald Trump.

If passed into law, it would provide aid to Ukraine, Israel, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and give the president money and tools to help secure the border and speed up asylum claims.

“With the new policies in this bill and the additional 4,300 asylum officers, who spend hours, I might add, with each immigrant to consider their claims whether they qualify. We’ll be able to reduce that process to six months, not five to seven years,” Biden said about the proposal.

The bill was deemed dead on arrival by House Republican Leadership.

The southern border came up in a Senate committee meeting Monday in Tallahassee during confirmation questioning of Mark Thieme, who Gov. Ron DeSantis has appointed to lead the Florida State Guard.

Central Florida Sen. Victor Torres laid out his concerns over sending the Florida Guard to Texas to assist with border enforcement.

“Being deployed from this state, what we do we’re covered, and I want our men and women who are deployed to make sure that they are — the legality of the circumstance of being sent to another state — that they are protected,” Torres said. “I don’t want them to go over to another state and be caught in something that could be dangerous for them, or involved in some kind of shooting.”

Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried posted on X, saying:

“Republicans are an existential threat to our national security. They care more about using the fear of migrants coming into our country to help trump than actually solving the problem. It’s like a 2 yo who has been screaming for his pacifier & once he gets it he still screams because he just wants to scream.”

On Jan. 31, DeSantis called on the Florida National Guard plus the Florida State Guard to, “Stop the invasion.”

“Let’s all band together as states,” he said. “Let’s say that our borders matter. Let’s say that we’re going to support Texas in making sure we can stop what is happening to our country.”

The governor is offering up to 1,000 members of the National Guard to support Operation Lone Star. He is mobilizing the Florida State Guard, too, making this the organization’s first deployment in state history.

DeSantis said the forces will build barriers, throw down wire and establish barricades along the southern border.

“The federal government is no longer protecting the states,” State Sen. Blaise Ingoglia said. “Not the state of Texas, but all the states. The states have a right to protect their citizens.”

Lawmakers tackle marijuana potency ahead of amendment vote

A new proposal can be seen as Florida’s first effort to get ahead of the potential legalization of recreational marijuana in the state.

It’s no secret that some Republicans are opposed to legalized recreational marijuana in Florida, but others say while they can’t necessarily stop it, they can try to contain it.

Before a vote is cast in November on a potential amendment, some Republicans are trying to a put caps on marijuana potency with Senate Bill 7050.

State Sen. Gayle Harrell was worried about the possibility of marijuana soon hitting Florida markets.

“There is no doubt that this high-potency cannabis has a real risk of psychosis for many, many people, especially young people,” Harrell said.

Voters in November will probably decide the fate of recreational marijuana, as the amendment on the ballot, if approved, would let Floridians to freely posses and smoke marijuana.

But under Tuesday’s Republican bill, lawmakers could limit just how strong that marijuana is.

“The problem is, it feels like a preemptive strike to regulate a future ballot initiative,” said Will Clark of the Libertarian Party of Florida. “Is that really what we want to do? Gov. DeSantis says this is the free state of Florida.”

There is, however, bipartisan concern. Some lawmakers are calling these caps arbitrary. Others, meanwhile, feel it may promote a black market.

“With a cap, now maybe we push a consumer to push to go in a different direction to find something higher on a market that is not safe or legal,” State Sen. Tracie Davis said.

This effort comes as the Florida Supreme Court considers whether recreational marijuana will appear on the November ballot. Attorney General Ashley Moody is trying to kill the amendment, saying it’s confusing to voters.

Immigration backlog grows in Florida

Florida ranks No. 1 in the backlog of immigration cases, according to federal data collected by Syracuse University. 

The data show the U.S. court backlog of cases involving immigrants and asylum seekers is more than 3 million — 481,000 of which are in Florida.

Tampa immigration attorney Milton Toro Marquez has worked with immigrants for the past seven years and handles more than 100 clients, with a case list growing fast — especially over the last couple of years.

“It’s something that’s very stressful, and at the same time very rewarding,” Marquez said.

Marquez believes the immigration system is broken and that cases can take years to get resolved because of backlogs.

He said each case is unique, and that each has a story of escaping a rough life.

“People are sexually violated on their way here, people are robbed, people are beaten on their way here,” Marquez said.

However, Marquez said despite the growing caseload, the work is important since most of his clients fear returning to their home country.