More on a theme we highlighted yesterday: Florida’s new immigration law is already causing serious adversity and trepidation even before its sweeping restrictions take effect, as undocumented residents feel they have no choice but to depart the state in order to protect themselves, their dreams and their families, Yacob Reyes reports for Axios. 

A 22-year-old woman who moved to Tampa when she was just 6 said that while she loves Florida and its people, she knows her family must leave after reading about the new law, which includes a change that would block her from becoming a lawyer. 

Other significant provisions involve new requirements for hospitals to collect information about patients’ immigration status and the invalidation of out-of-state driver’s licenses issued to undocumented immigrants. 

"It isn't safe," the 22-year-old said. "We're fleeing the place we fled to ... I am leaving everything behind, everything that I worked for." 

Hector Anguiano and Ana Gonzalez tell Trevor Sochocki of WFLA about their constant fear despite having resided in the United States for decades. And WFTV staff and Henry Queen of the Tampa Bay Business Journal report on how the law could exacerbate labor shortages that could debilitate key industries such as construction 

As Florida begins to shed college-educated professionals, hard workers and longtime residents, other states should look to these warning signs of an exodus as a cautionary tale. Punitive policies like the law enacted in Florida hurt not only immigrants who are contributing, but all of us who want a thriving economy and society.  

Welcome to Thursday’s edition of The Forum Daily. I’m Dan Gordon, the Forum’s strategic communications VP, and the great Forum Daily team also includes Alexandra Villarreal, Clara Villatoro, Katie Lutz and Keylla Ortega. If you have a story to share from your own community, please send it to me at [email protected]. 

YOUNG MIGRANTS — An unprecedented number of unaccompanied minors are making the trek from South America northward, reports Kejal Vyas of The Wall Street Journal. On their journey, especially in bottleneck areas such as Panama, minors experience cramped conditions at camps and are exposed to abuse and gang threats. However, resources for them are scarce. "Unfortunately, there’s just not enough capacity installed to handle so many people, including the most vulnerable," said Domingo Barrios, who runs a shelter in Darién, Panama. 

CAT AND MOUSE – Smugglers are using the fall of Title 42 to promote their services and raise their prices, report Alfredo Corchado and Dianne Solis of The Dallas Morning News. "I see a rise in smugglers, the old cat-and-mouse game," said border anthropologist Howard Campbell. Desperate and confused, families are paying thousands. "Desperation can … be deadly," warns a deported migrant at the border, pointing to the deaths of some who have attempted the risky crossing. 

CAPACITY CLAIMS — New York City could suspend its longstanding "right to shelter" obligation if a judge accepts the request of Mayor Eric Adams, reports Bobby Caina Calvan of the Associated Press. Adams said the shelter system is out of capacity after months of elevated migrant arrivals. Other New York counties are not sounding a welcoming tone either, Jake Offenhartz reports, also for the Associated Press. An exception: the heartening message from Erie County, N.Y., Executive Mark Poloncarz.  

UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE – Ukrainian refugee Tymofii Salomatin connected with classmates through his piano genius, reports Olivia Young of CBS Colorado. He played at their request after Google Translate fell short in helping the English-speaking teenagers understand Tymofi. "Music is the universal language and he proved that," said education specialist Tricia Corneau. 

Thanks for reading, 

Dan