Alarm as Florida Republicans move to fill deported workers' jobs with children: 'It's insane, right?'

[douglas9]

Beneath the smugness of Ron DeSantis, at Florida leading the nation in immigration enforcement lies something of a conundrum: how to fill the essential jobs of the scores of immigrant workers targeted for deportation.

The answer, according to Florida lawmakers, is the state’s schoolchildren, who as young as 14 could soon be allowed to work overnight shifts without a break – even on school nights.

A bill that progressed this week through the Republican-dominated state senate seeks to remove numerous existing protections for teenage workers, and allow them, in the Florida governor’s words, to step into the shoes of immigrants who supply Florida’s tourism and agriculture industries with “dirt cheap labor”.

“What’s wrong with expecting our young people to be working part-time now? That’s how it used to be when I was growing up,” DeSantis said at an immigration forum with Donald Trump’s “border czar”, Tom Homan, in Sarasota last week.


https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/29/florida-republicans-immigrant-jobs-child-labor

[BOSSHOG]

1. Republicans seek to overcome damage made by republicans

By hurting more people in an efficient manner. Forcing children to work because republicans intentionally fucked up. Conservative values.

[tanyev]

2. Correct. It is insane.

[GreenWave]

3. Maybe they can "home school" them through loud speakers and forget school all together.

And put up barbed wire fences to keep them there pesky reporters out and also stand your ground guards in case them there kids want a potty break.

[no_hypocrisy]

4. And Florida also sanctioned using African-American babies as bait for

catching alligators.

Doesn't make it right then and using children to keep crops doesn't make it right too.

[Renew Deal]

5. Would a parent let a high school kid work an overnight shift?

Last edited Sat Mar 29, 2025, 10:22 AM - Edit history (1)

I’m sure there will be someone that does.

[modrepub]

6. Does This Require Parental Consent?

Would not be surprised if parents rented out their kids and confiscated their wages.

You can be an “euntrepenur” simply by adopting a hoard of kids and finding them jobs, right?

[Joinfortmill]

7. Florida is gonna slip into the sea soon if they don't rid themselves of DeSatan.

[tonkatoy8888]

8. You First

Any GOP legislators who have minor children 14-17, step right up. Why spend money on private schools, private tutoring, traveling sports teams, or dressage lesson? Get your kids busy bringing home the bacon, er, oranges.

Oh, sorry, this is just for the poors, right?

It's impossible to describe how loathsome these people are. I'll go to my grave not understanding why voters empower these absolutely irredeemable fuckwads to make decisions affecting their lives. I guess the BDSM community is a lot larger than I assumed.

Also, there is not a group of people alive stupider than a Republican majority state legislature.

[Jughead]

9. It won't be long.....

Before Florida requires all 12-16 year olds to work as farm hands. You know like the draft.

[avebury]

10. Arkansas passed a law, signed

by Sarah Huckabee in front of children, allowing for legal child labor.

Republicans probably think, who needs education for the masses when you can turn children into the modern day version of indentured servants.

[lark]

11. Child killers in action. They care for nothing but themselves, and the other rich, affirmatively hurting everyone else!

Ever notice most child molesters are R's!

[delisen]

12. Give academic credit for interning in Industry

Work/Study instead of academics for Juniors and Seniors.

[mitch96]

13. Florida Republicans want to go back to the "good old days"..... aka slavery. Work hard for no pay..

As big business always says, the cost of labor is too high...right? They can't make a "decent" profit..uff
m