Florida's Plan to Replace Migrant Workers With Children Falls Apart

A bill that would have loosened child labor laws in Florida has died in the state Senate.

The proposal came as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican, touted using teenagers as a replacement for the labor of migrants who are in the country illegally.

Newsweek has contacted DeSantis' office for comment via email.

Why It Matters

President Donald Trump has pledged to deport millions of people in the United States with no legal status, while critics say deportations on such a scale could lead to labor shortages.

The bill would have permitted 16- and 17-year-olds to work overnight on school days and work longer than an eight-hour day before a school day. Some 14- and 15-year-olds would also have been allowed to work those hours.

Proponents said the bill aligned with federal child labor law and would help combat labor shortages, but critics warned that it posed serious risks of exploitation.

What to Know

If approved, Senate Bill 918 would have removed restrictions on the number of hours that 16- and 17-year-olds can work per week during the school year.

It would also have scrapped required 30-minute meal breaks and allowed children as young as 14 who are homeschooled or enrolled in virtual school to work overnight shifts.

Under Florida law, 16- and 17-year-olds are limited to up to 30 hours a week of work when school is in session unless a parent or school superintend waives that restriction. They also cannot work before 6:30 a.m. or after 11 p.m. on a school day.

The language in the bill came from staff within DeSantis' office, Orlando Weekly reported, citing records it obtained.

Supporters of the measure included Moms for Liberty and the National Federation of Independent Business. However, the legislation faced opposition from the Florida AFL-CIO, the state's largest federation of labor unions. Its opponents also included the American Civil Liberties Union, the NAACP and student activist groups.

The bill was approved by the Florida House in April, largely along party lines.

However, the Senate version of the bill failed to advance before Florida's legislative session concluded on Friday.

What People Are Saying

Republican state Senator Jay Collins, the bill's sponsor, said the measure was about parental rights: "We should let them say what's best for their kids at 16- to 17-year-olds, that's what we're saying by this."

Republican state Senator Joe Gruters said: "I think we need to let kids be kids."

Governor Ron DeSantis said during a panel discussion in March: "Why do we say we need to import foreigners, even import them illegally, when, you know, teenagers used to work at these resorts, college students should be able to do this stuff? … What's wrong with expecting our young people to be working part-time now? I mean, that's how it used to be when I was growing up."

What Happens Next

The bill to loosen child labor laws in Florida is effectively dead, but it remains to be seen whether lawmakers will pursue it in a future session.