Ron DeSantis' Controversial Plan to Replace Undocumented Workers in Florida

Amid an escalating labor shortage, Florida is considering allowing children as young as 14 to work overnight shifts, even on school days. This proposal, endorsed by Republican Governor Ron DeSantis and the state legislature dominated by his party, aims to fill vacancies left by undocumented immigrants. The bill, SB 918, was passed on Tuesday by the Senate's Commerce and Tourism Committee. It removes time and work restrictions for 16 and 17-year-olds and relaxes conditions for 14 and 15-year-olds. The legislation permits their involvement in night shifts if they're homeschooled, have graduated high school, are enrolled in virtual programs, or work for their parents.

Furthermore, the bill eliminates mandatory breaks for teenagers and removes daily and weekly hour limits during the school year. Currently, regulations prohibit working before 6:30 a.m. and after 11:00 p.m. on school days. If approved, this reform would completely deregulate the work of high school students.

Teens as Workforce Replacements

"Why do we say we need to import foreigners, even illegally, when, as you know, teenagers used to work in these resorts and college students should be able to?" stated Governor DeSantis in a roundtable discussion last week with Tom Homan, former border official under President Donald Trump. "Yes, some left due to those regulations, but we've also hired others. What's wrong with expecting our youth to work part-time now? Well, that's how it was when I was young," he added, advocating for a return to times when teenagers were part of the low-cost workforce.

DeSantis has been a staunch advocate for the 2023 law requiring employers with more than 25 workers to verify their employees' immigration status using the federal E-Verify database. Non-compliance can lead to daily fines of up to $1,000. This crackdown has caused a significant drop in workers across sectors like construction, agriculture, hospitality, and services, which are known for low wages and poor working conditions.

Underpaid Teenagers as Substitutes

Critics argue that the new legislation seeks to replace the migrant workforce with minors. "We're facing another attempt to strip basic protections from Florida's children, all to appease corporate interests seeking cheap labor," warned Jackson Oberlink, spokesperson for Florida For All, an organization advocating for labor and social rights.

The Florida Policy Institute (FPI) also voiced its opposition, noting that there are already over 80,000 teens aged 16 to 17 working in Florida, many juggling school and low-paying jobs. "Lifting current limits will force teens to accept hours assigned by their bosses, even if it jeopardizes their studies," the institute cautioned, citing data from the U.S. Department of Labor, which reported 209 child labor law violations in the state in 2023 alone—the second-highest figure in the past 15 years.

Political Drive and Underlying Interests

Republican Senator Jay Collins from Tampa, who sponsors the bill, defended it as an effort to equip young people for adulthood. "We want our kids academically prepared, but let's talk about soft skills. Let's discuss adult functioning. Let's talk about executive thinking and management. Where do they learn that? Are we teaching it in school?" he questioned.

"This is Florida, the free state... We do what's right, no matter how hard or how many oppose," he added. Downplaying comparisons to historical periods of child labor exploitation, the legislator remarked, "Frankly, we're not talking about Upton Sinclair's 'The Jungle.' We're talking about working at Publix and Piggly Wiggly."

Despite this, some Republican members expressed concern. Senator Joe Gruters from Sarasota voted against the bill: "I think we should let kids be kids. I think this sends a bad message."

The proposal also mirrors a national strategy pushed by conservative organizations like the Naples, Florida-based Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA), which has promoted similar policies in other states. This group receives funding from donors like the Ed Uihlein Foundation, whose president, Dick Uihlein, has been a major backer of DeSantis' presidential campaign.

Uncertain Prospects

Although SB 918 was approved by the Senate committee on March 25 with a vote of five to four, its legislative future remains uncertain. A similar proposal in the House of Representatives (HB 1225) has failed to progress. Activists and experts warn that this legislation sets a dangerous precedent for labor deregulation, potentially paving the way for new forms of child exploitation in a state that has already weakened its protections in recent years.

In 2023, the legislature passed a law allowing homeschooled teens aged 16 and 17 to work without time restrictions. What began as an attempt to control illegal immigration has evolved into a labor reform that could have lasting consequences for thousands of minors in Florida.