MIAMI (WSVN) - As the migrant crisis makes national headlines due to the looming expiration of Title 42, Florida’s latest restrictions on immigrants are yielding mixed reactions, including strongly worded rebukes from South Florida immigration advocates.

Immigration groups on Thursday condemned the latest immigration bill that was signed into law by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Speaking at a news conference, Adelys Ferro with the Venezuelan-American Caucus did not mince words.

“This law is a slap in the face of every immigrant in Florida,” she said.

The new adds new restrictions on undocumented immigrants.

“This is not about stopping irregular immigration; it is about terrorizing families and communities who are already here,” said Ana Sofía Peláez with the Miami Freedom Project.

“It’s inconceivable that in a state where immigrants are a critical and a crucial part of the community, a state that has been home for millions of immigrants, the governor and his legislature have decided to attack and despise the people who actually build the economical and cultural prosperity in Florida,” said Ferro.

The same sentiment was felt in Little Haiti, where the Family Action Network Movement, a local group that helps immigrant families, along with some local leaders, spoke up against the governor.

“At the end of the day, when you look at what the Florida Legislature have done for one particular person, this is cruel, this is inhumane,” North Miami Mayor Alix Desulme said, ” and we as a community are not going to stand for it. We’re going to fight, we’re going to do what we can.”

But others who live in South Florida said this legislation is needed.

Customers waiting for their cafecito at Cafe Versailles sounded off on Thursday.

“It’s saving the people here,” said a customer who identified himself as John.

The governor signed Senate Bill 1718 Wednesday.

DeSantis said the policy is necessary, since Title 42, which was a pandemic-era law that allowed officials to quickly expel undocumented migrants at the border, is set to expire Thursday night.

“Title 42 expiring — these are [President Joe] Biden’s estimates — they think it could up to 13,000 illegal aliens crossing the border every single day,” he said, “and at that pace, on an annual basis, that would be 4.5 million, and that’s roughly the size of Miami-Dade and Broward counties.”

The law comes with penalties for anyone employing undocumented immigrants.

It also stops local governments from issuing ID cards to them, and Florida hospitals will now include a citizenship question on intake forms and have to submit data about healthcare provided to illegal migrants.

“You have all kinds of burdens placed on taxpayers, on medical, on education, on criminal justice,” DeSantis said.

Twelve million dollars will be set aside to pay for transferring illegal immigrants to other states across the country.

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