Immigration bills dead, Florida Senate chairman confirms

Bills targeting illegal immigration in Florida won't be heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee this session, state Sen. Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, R-Miami, said Tuesday.

"None of the immigration bills are going to be heard," he said. "So those are off the table as far as the judiciary committee is concerned."

That committment from the Senate judiciary chairman makes the bills essentially dead.

Two pieces of legislation have been put forward to take action against undocumented immigrants to Florida, and are stalled in Diaz de la Portilla's committee.

One (SB 872) by state Sen. Aaron Bean, R-Fernandina Beach, would prevent so-called "sanctuary city" policies in Florida, requiring local law enforcement to hold undocumented immigrants if U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement indicates it might be interested in picking them up. Similar legislation passed the House last week.

The other (SB 118) by state Sen. Travis Hutson, R-Elkton, makes it a first-degree felony -- punishable by up to 30 years in prison -- to re-enter the state after being deported.

This story was originally published February 10, 2016 at 4:41 PM with the headline "Immigration bills dead, Florida Senate chairman confirms ."