TAMPA, Fla. — Diego Dulanto Falcon grew up undocumented in Florida until recently, when he became documented under DACA.
"For the longest time, I didn't even know I was undocumented. It wasn't until I applied for DACA that I found out that I wasn't documented," he said.
To him, Florida's latest immigration laws are a step in the wrong direction.
"This sends a message to the entire community sending waves of nothing but fear and tyranny," he added.
Connecticut, Delaware, Rhode Island, Hawaii, and Vermont all issue special driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants. Each license has a disclaimer, highlighting it is a special privilege license and typically not for federal identification.
But under Florida's most recent immigration legislation, those licenses are invalid in the Sunshine State. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said when the law went into effect July 1, his team and other law enforcement agencies across the state began enforcement.
"Law enforcement officers don't create the law, we only enforce the law," he said.
Judd added that drivers would only face a fine if they are pulled over for another violation.
Even so, that has Falcon worried about racial profiling.
"I always knew something was different. Growing up in my neighborhood, there was a huge police presence. And so I never really could go outside or hang out with friends like other kids. I always had to be extra careful when walking in my neighborhood, with or without my family. Even just walking to the bus stop. My parents were always afraid of something that could happen," he recalled.
Immigration Attorney Renata Castro of the Castro Legal Group has already heard other fears from the community.
"Individuals who have vacations booked for the state of Florida are afraid. They're mostly afraid of being deported," she said.
Judd said neither profiling nor deportation is likely because of this new law.
"We're not out here actively searching for people who have an illegal driver's license from another state. If we come across those folks, we absolutely will enforce the law by writing a citation because that's what the law tells us to do," he said. "I always like to tell the community, whether you're here legally or illegally, we want you to be safe. We're not the immigration police."
Castro says she has cautioned against canceling travel plans. She says Florida has limited power to do anything outside of a fine.
"It is my suspicion that we will see a coalition of states challenging this law all the way to the Supreme Court," she said.
While Florida has the right to refuse a license to a new resident, she says the state can't suspend a license from another state.
"How is the government going to disregard the power that those states have to issue licenses to their residents and how will that be determined once these residents visit the state of Florida?"
Despite the laws, Falcon isn't backing down.
"I would hope that as dangerous as it is to live here, as is and with the new laws that are being implemented, that we stand strong and stand firm on the fact that we do belong here, just like anybody else," he said.
