In a move called quiet by some, sneaky by others, The Florida Senate passed Senate Bill 2040 today 23-16 without debate. The bill, the state’s own version of the “show me your papers” anti-immigrant legislation passed in Arizona and other states, requires police to verify a person’s immigration status if they suspect the person is undocumented. The bill also requires employers to use the flawed employment verification system, E-Verify.

In anticipation of the vote, some Latino advocacy organizations vowed to use economic pressure in protest of the bill including, but not limited to a boycott. Given the lawsuits against SB1070 in Arizona and the recently announced lawsuit in Utah, the financial cost to the Sunshine State if the bill become law could be huge. That is to say nothing of the costs to the various and diverse Latino communities across Florida.