The Judiciary Committee in the Florida House of Representatives has approved a bill to crack down on sanctuary cities.
Representative Larry Metz's bill would punish any local governments or officials who refuse to do the bidding of federal immigration authorities.
Metz, of Yalaha, says Florida has to do its part fighting illegal immigration.
"That is the underlying premise of the bill, that we should have border security ... which the federal government has to provide ... and then we should have robust internal enforcement for those that make it through the border so that we can then strengthen and improve the legal immigration system," he said.
But Senator Jose Rodriguez of Miami says the sanctuary bills are bogus.
"These bills are created in their absurdity with the explicit purpose of again trying to persecute immigrants for political purposes," he said.
After passing just one committee, the sanctuary bill is ready for a floor vote in the House once the legislative session begins in January.