MIAMI — Florida lawmakers gave preliminary approval to a measure that would not only expand Gov. Ron DeSantis’ ability to relocate migrants anywhere in the country but would allow his administration to hand out millions of dollars in no-bid contracts to companies to carry out the secretive program without disclosing details to the public.
Republican lawmakers who are sponsoring the proposal have acknowledged that they do not know how the administration plans to spend $10 million that would be set aside for the immigration program between now and the end of June. The expenses, they said, could include surveillance, reconnaissance and investigations, as well as feeding and housing migrants while they wait for a plane ride.
Lawmakers admitted in hearings Monday in the House and Tuesday in the Senate that they do not have details about how the administration has spent an estimated $2 million on the previous migrant relocation efforts — despite allegations that the covert operation misled some migrants, paid an undocumented worker to recruit passengers and shielded details from the public.
