DeSantis Says He Will Veto Immigration Bill in Clash With Lawmakers

The veto pledge capped a dramatic few days in which Republican legislators publicly criticized Gov. Ron DeSantis and portrayed themselves as truer allies of President Trump.

Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida promised on Wednesday to veto legislation that would toughen immigration enforcement in the state and blasted fellow Republicans for not going far enough after they took the rare step of defying him.

Escalating a power struggle with new Republican legislative leaders, Mr. DeSantis said he would reject the bill, the morning after state lawmakers approved it in a special session. He indicated that he would ask lawmakers to try again — but only after giving their constituents time to protest their bill.

“What I think people are sick of is the treachery,” Mr. DeSantis said on Wednesday in Fort Myers, during the second appearance of the day in which he castigated his fellow Republicans. “When the people are animated on an issue, these representatives will listen.”

The rebellion is not likely to go as far as an override of the governor’s veto: When the bill passed late Tuesday, several Republicans aligned with Mr. DeSantis and every Democrat voted against it. It would set aside more than $500 million for local agencies to assist with immigration enforcement, increase certain criminal penalties for unauthorized immigrants and create a new state office to coordinate enforcement efforts. That office would be led by the state’s agriculture commissioner, Wilton Simpson, who is not close with the governor.

Still, the events this week started a new chapter in the DeSantis era of Florida politics, with legislators from the governor’s own party publicly criticizing him and portraying themselves as truer allies of President Trump. The governor countered that lawmakers cared more about playing “dumb Tallahassee games” than about acting on their campaign promises.

Lawmakers had not formally sent him the bill as of Wednesday afternoon.