Mexico is defending an undocumented immigrant arrested underneath a new Florida law : NPR

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The Mexican authorities is serving to protect one particular of its citizens who was arrested underneath a new state immigration regulation in Florida. That regulation helps make it a felony to transport undocumented immigrants into the point out. The administration of Mexico’s president has harshly criticized Florida. And now, NPR’s Greg Allen reviews the region is stepping up to protect a person of the initially persons arrested below the law.

GREG ALLEN, BYLINE: Raquel Lopez Aguilar was driving a van with six other men and women on board when he was pulled in excess of by condition troopers in August. The arresting officer reported he stopped the van due to the fact it experienced, estimate, “of course darker-than-legal tint on the rear windows, and the windshield experienced numerous significant cracks.” Border Patrol brokers were being known as. The report says Lopez Aguilar instructed them he and the many others have been touring from Ga to Tampa. He was arrested and charged with 4 counts of human smuggling. Lopez Aguilar’s protection is remaining compensated for by the Mexican government underneath a system that offers lawful support to nationals in the U.S. Mexico’s consul in Orlando has known as Lopez Aguilar’s arrest, quote, “finish injustice.” He is visited Lopez Aguilar in jail and has scheduled a information meeting tomorrow. Lopez Aguilar is considered to be the initially particular person arrested underneath a Florida law. If convicted, he would deal with up to 5 a long time in prison on every of the four counts of human smuggling. When Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed the legislation in May possibly, he bragged it was the toughest migrant laws in the state.

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RON DESANTIS: They’re thinking about coming from the border, smuggling people today somewhere. Florida is not a excellent place for you to do that – Okay? – because you are heading to conclude up experiencing pushback. If you want to go somewhere exactly where they are a sanctuary point out, then do California or do Illinois or anything, but you should not do right here.

ALLEN: In July, times right after it went into impact, Mexico’s president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, condemned the law and urged People in america not to assist DeSantis in his operate for the presidency – not one vote, Lopez Obrador stated, for those people who despise migrants. DeSantis has shot back again, expressing Florida will never permit their immigration guidelines be dictated by Mexico Metropolis. The regulation invalidates driver’s licenses and IDs issued to undocumented immigrants by other states. It requires all firms in Florida to use the federal E-Validate program to test workers’ eligibility. It also necessitates hospitals that acknowledge Medicaid to check with all those it treats about their citizenship position.

But it is the provision building it a felony to transportation undocumented migrants that’s the most controversial. A coalition of immigrant rights teams has submitted a legal challenge to that part of the legislation in federal courtroom. They say it can be vaguely worded, producing it a felony to transportation people today who may well have entered the country illegally and considering the fact that then have not been, estimate, “inspected by the federal government.” The law also maintains the Florida regulation is unconstitutional for the reason that it unilaterally seeks to control the transportation of migrants – authority the courts have stated belongs to the federal authorities. Florida’s legal professional typical is defending the law, dismissing considerations that it is unconstitutional.

Greg Allen, NPR News, Miami.

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