Editor’s note: This story first appeared on palabra, the digital news site by the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.
By Tatiana Alejandra
On June 1, Diego Dulanto Falcon, a 23-year-old immigration rights advocate, grabbed his Peruvian flag and spent the afternoon on the steamy pavements of Al Lopez Park in Tampa, Florida. Falcon, a DACA recipient protected from deportation by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, joined other Latinos in peacefully protesting against Senate Bill 1718, the state’s newest anti-immigration law.
Despite Falcon’s best efforts and those of local immigrant rights groups such as WeCount! and the We Are Florida Coalition that had been mobilizing against the proposed legislation for months, SB 1718 went into effect on July 1, 2023, becoming the toughest state-led anti-illegal immigration law in the country in more than a decade.
The law, which began as a proposal by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, cracks down on unauthorized labor and imposes a series of immigration-related restrictions. Among other provisions, it criminalizes traveling across state lines with undocumented individuals; expands the E-Verify system, which allows employers to confirm that prospective employees are eligible to work legally in the U.S.; and invalidates certain out-of-state licenses issued to non-citizens and some visa holders.
Falcon comes from a mixed-status family that has lived in the Sunshine State for 19 years. Some of the proposals in earlier versions of the bill made them worry for their safety, and they had serious discussions about leaving. House Bill 1617, an earlier version of the proposed legislation, criminalized Floridians who shelter, support, and provide transportation to undocumented immigrants. While the harsher provisions of the original bill were modified to ensure its passage, Falcon felt that Florida Republican officials crossed a line. “They’re getting a lot more blatant and more offensive … like they’re…
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