TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) — As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office in three days, Governor Ron DeSantis is calling a special legislative session.
Lawmakers will be tasked with solving issues from condo relief to amendment reform, but the main focus will be on illegal immigration, and that has some state lawmakers upset.
The call for a special session has been met with both backlash and support. The governor gave his order Monday with House and Senate leadership pushing back, and that's not the only rebuttal we've seen in recent days.
"If we are going to drag our feet in the state of Florida, then that means elected officials are not doing what the voters sent them into office to do," DeSantis said.
According to the governor's administration, illegal immigration is an issue across the state — so much so, the topic was addressed a number of times in budget committee meetings.
During several committee meetings like the House Health Care Budget Subcommittee, House State Administration Budget Subcommittee, and House State Transportation and Economic Development Budget Subcommittee, which are meant to focus on budgets for state administrations, department leaders were repeatedly urged to stay on track.
"Secretary, I am going to interrupt you to remind you we are here to talk about your department and your budget," said State Rep. Vicki L. Lopez (R-Miami-Dade).
"We are here to talk about health care. I understand that there's a political dynamic going on, but we are here to talk health care today," said State Rep. Alex Andrade (R-Escambia).
The governor heard of the news and took to "X" sharing, "Crazy to see the GOP super majority in the house shut down discussions about illegal immigration."
As political analysts track the dynamic at the statehouse this week, while Republican lawmakers still support DeSantis, they may not be the cheerleaders he wants them to be.
"Desantis had all of his administrative bureaucratic heads come out before these committees, trying to make the case to be persuasive to the state legislature about why this special session on immigration is important," said Tara Newsom, St. Pete College Political Analyst. "I think what the Republican state legislature is saying is yes, it's important. But we've got a whole slew of other, equally important pieces that we need to make sure that we're covering for our constituents."
Political analysts add that they don't think there is a big chasm and fissure in the Republican party. Leadership is however showing they have a mind of their own.
