Florida's economy grew despite DeSantis' criticism of 'false media narratives' on illegal immigration response.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis criticized a "false media narrative" about the impact of illegal immigration on the state's economy after a report revealed that Florida experienced growth despite opposition to a law that made the state less hospitable to illegal immigrants.

On Tuesday, DeSantis responded to a report by the Washington Examiner about Florida's positive economic results. Florida's GDP grew by 3.2% from Q1 2024 to Q2 2024, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, while the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that about 133,000 jobs were added from October 2023 to October 2024.

"DeSantis wrote on X that FL's top-notch legislation against illegal immigration triggered the usual false media stories. The fact that these narratives gained traction demonstrates the effectiveness of good policy. Instead of encouraging more illegal immigration, as is commonly done in the US, the objective should be to discourage it."

DeSantis countered the claims of Democrats and some media that cracking down on illegal immigration would harm Florida's economy by denying Americans the jobs that illegal immigrants were unwilling to do.

In May 2023, DeSantis enacted a law requiring hospitals to gather and submit information on the costs of healthcare for illegal immigrants, which entails asking patients about their immigration status.

In June, DeSantis informed "Hannity" that the law was linked to a decrease in Medicaid expenditures.

He stated that by ensuring that immigration status is inquired about when individuals arrive at the hospital, Medicaid expenditures have decreased by 50%.

In May, DeSantis mentioned that the Emergency Medical Assistance program in Florida from FY 23 to FY 24 saw a decrease of over 50%, with spending dropping to $67 million.

Activists cautioned that if patients are not obligated to answer, it could discourage immigrants from seeking medical care. Under federal law, illegal immigrants are not eligible for Medicaid, but states are mandated to provide emergency care.

The bill DeSantis signed aimed to make Florida less hospitable to illegal immigrants by mandating E-Verify, prohibiting NGOs and local governments from issuing IDs to them, suspending licenses of employers who hire them, and increasing funding for a relocation program to "sanctuary" jurisdictions.

Planet Chronicle Digital’s Adam Shaw contributed to this report.