TALLAHASSEE — Florida lawmakers approved a sweeping immigration bill Tuesday, fulfilling a top item on Gov. Ron DeSantis’ legislative agenda.

The immigration crackdown requires businesses with 25 or more employees to check the work status of new hires for permanent positions through a federal database called E-Verify.

Another provision mandates hospitals compile financial data on the cost of treating patients without legal status. It also allocates $12 million for a controversial program to transport migrants from Florida to Democratic parts of the country.

The House voted 83-36 to send the immigration bill to DeSantis.

Supporters said action is needed for an immigration crisis that isn’t being addressed by the federal government.

“Let’s be clear: This bill is not about legal immigration This is addressing an illegal problem that we have in this country,” said Rep. Chase Tramont, R-Port Orange.

Rep. Kiyan Michael, the bill’s sponsor, recounted how her son was killed in a car wreck involving a driver who was in the country illegally.

“Heaven has borders,” the Jacksonville Republican said. “Hell has none.”

But opponents said the legislative package will carry a human and economic toll for industries from agriculture to tourism that rely on immigrant labor.

Asking hospital patients for their immigration status will discourage them from seeking medical care for fear their status could be exposed, said Rep. Susan Valdés, D-Tampa.

“This bill is politically driven, and it is an anti-immigrant bill that will hurt and even kill undocumented immigrants,” she said.

Immigrants are often fleeing terrible violence in Latin America and the Caribbean and many have lived in Florida without legal status for more 10 years or longer, contributing to society in meaningful ways, said Rep. Dotie Joseph, D-North Miami.

“Immigrants are not the enemy,” she said. “Hate is.”

DeSantis, who is mulling a White House bid, has criticized President Joe Biden on the issue, making national headlines last year when he flew dozens of migrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard.

The bill toughens human-smuggling penalties for transporting a child or five or more people without legal status into Florida.

Legislators removed a provision signed into law by former Gov. Rick Scott that granted admission to the Florida Bar to law school graduates without legal status.

The immigration package will cut off funding to community programs that provide identification cards to people in the country illegally. It invalidates out-of-state driver’s licenses issued to people without legal status.

DeSantis got most but not all of what he wanted on immigration.

Lawmakers did not act on his calls to end in-state college tuition for students without legal status, another provision signed into law by Scott.

They also backed off on human-smuggling language that could have made it a felony crime to knowingly transport people without legal status within the state. That provision drew criticism from religious leaders who feared they could be arrested for giving immigrants rides to church services or Sunday school.

DeSantis proposed mandatory E-Verify for all businesses, but the immigration bill exempts small ones.

If DeSantis signs the immigrant bill as expected, most of its provisions will take effect on July 1.

sswisher@orlandosentinel.com