Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis blasted a “false media narrative” on illegal immigration after a report showed that the state saw economic growth despite outcry that a state law making Florida less welcoming to illegal immigrants would do the opposite.
DeSantis responded on Tuesday to a report by the Washington Examiner about Florida’s positive economic results. Florida saw 3.2% growth in its gross domestic product from Q1 2024 to Q2 2024, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, while data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that about 133,000 jobs were added from October 2023 to October 2024.
“FL’s best-in-the-nation legislation combatting illegal immigration generated the typical array of false media narratives,” DeSantis wrote on X. “That such narratives blew up shows that good policy pays dividends. The goal needs to be disfavoring illegal immigration rather than — as is common across the US — incentivizing more illegal immigration.”
The narratives that DeSantis referred to included dire predictions from Democrats and some media that getting tough on illegal immigration would only damage Florida’s economy by preventing illegal immigrants from doing necessary jobs that Americans don’t want to do.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks about a toll highway relief program during a press conference held at the Greater Miami Expressway Agency on April 1, 2024, in Miami, Florida. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images, File)
In May 2023, DeSantis signed a law that included a provision that requires hospitals to collect and submit data on the costs of providing health care to illegal immigrants, meaning they must ask patients their immigration status.
DeSantis told “Hannity” in June that the law was connected to a drop in Medicaid spending.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis attends the drivers meeting prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 19, 2024, in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images, File)
“We made sure when you have people show up at the hospital that we’re asking about immigration status, and that’s caused the Medicaid expenditures to plummet by 50%,” he said.
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DeSantis at the time referred to data from May that showed the amount spent on Florida’s Emergency Medical Assistance program from FY 23 to FY 24 dropped to $67 million, a decrease of over 50%.
While patients aren’t forced to answer, activists warned that it could have a chilling effect on immigrants seeking medical care. Illegal immigrants are not eligible for Medicaid under federal law, but states are required to provide care in an emergency.
The bill DeSantis signed included other provisions designed to make Florida less welcoming for those who have entered illegally. They include mandatory E-Verify, a ban on NGOs and local governments issuing IDs to illegal immigrants, moves to suspend licenses of employers who employ illegal immigrants, and more money for a transport program to move illegal immigrants to “sanctuary” jurisdictions.
Fox News Digital’s Adam Shaw contributed to this report.
