The Florida Legislature has passed and the governor signed a bill formalizing a controversial program to transport unauthorized migrants to other states under the authority of Florida’s Division of Emergency Management.

The state’s funding last year of a flight carrying migrants from Texas to Massachusetts through the Florida Department of Transportation led to multiple lawsuits filed against the program. The newly passed legislation, Senate Bill 6-B, will earmark $10 million to fund the effort “to facilitate the transport of inspected unauthorized aliens within the United States,” the state Legislature’s analysis of the bill states. 

“Border patrol encounters and illegal entries into the United States are at an all-time high because Washington refuses to act,” Rep. John Snyder (R-Stuart), the sponsor of the House version of the bill, said in a prepared statement. “Florida will not allow the Biden administration’s failures to threaten the safety and well-being of our citizens. The Division of Emergency Management is well positioned to operate the Unauthorized Alien Transport Program to facilitate the voluntary transport of unauthorized migrants.”