'People aren't showing up to work,' South Florida workers already feeling heat of immigration bill
MIAMI - Construction workers say many employees have not showed up to work because they fear deportation.
Critics say Florida Senate Bill 1718 is to blame.
If signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, businesses could face a $10,000 fine for every undocumented employee and the state could revoke their business license.
Because of this, many construction workers who spoke to CBS News Miami say they are fearful of the future.
"Many workers are leaving, thinking they're going to be deported, so they're going to other states," says Jose, an employee. "Everyone is really uneasy…we just want to work to help our families."
The bill also has a crackdown on healthcare, saying that hospitals must report the patient's immigration status if they are using Medicare.
According to the governor's website, Florida taxpayers have paid more than $226 million in healthcare costs for undocumented immigrants.
With the thousands of migrants making their way through the Texas border, Gov. DeSantis hopes this bill will deter them from coming to Florida.
Once the bill is signed in by the governor, the law will take effect July 1st.