TALLAHASSEE, FL – FWD.us Florida State Immigration Director Ted Hutchinson issued the following statement following the conclusion of the 2022 Florida State legislative session and the passage of SB 1808/ HB 1355:

“The 2022 legislative session will be remembered for its failure to support Florida’s immigrant communities and its unnecessary attack on people seeking refuge. By failing to implement meaningful reforms and instead passing anti-immigrant legislation, SB 1808 / HB 1355, the legislature has jeopardized Florida’s economic future and safety. Instead of focusing on the real issues impacting Florida’s families – the pandemic, the housing crisis and labor shortage – the legislature chose to prioritize division and partisan politics. Despite opposition from business and religious leaders across the state, the legislature has turned its back on Florida’s long tradition as a place of refuge and a better life.

“Immigrants are essential to the future of the Sunshine State. For Florida to continue to be a prosperous center of economic growth, we must embrace our immigrant friends and neighbors and ensure they have the opportunity to succeed. As we look to the future, I urge the legislature to look for ways to find bipartisan solutions that support Florida’s immigrant communities, so we can all prosper. It’s the right thing to do, and good for our families and communities..”