It was part of a broader effort to crack down on undocumented workers in the state. Critics said it placed extra burdens on small businesses, especially in agriculture, construction and hospitality, where finding workers was already difficult. Many warned it could lead to labor shortages and disrupt the Sunshine State’s economy.

So far, the critics have been wrong. According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the state’s gross domestic product increased by 9.2% last year, tops in the nation and outpacing the national average by nearly 3 percentage points. This comes despite the Florida Policy Institute warning that the E-Verify requirement alone could cost the state $12.6 billion in its first year.

Florida’s SB1718 could offer a glimpse into how the new Trump Administration’s crackdown on undocumented workers might affect small businesses nationwide—or be tempered to minimize the impact.

During his campaign, Trump promised an immigration policy even harsher than Florida’s, including mass deportations—something the state can’t do. But campaign promises are often bluster, and Trump, if anything, is a negotiator known for asking for the moon to get what he ultimately wants or will settle for. Republicans—and Trump himself—have always been big boosters of small businesses. Trump’s incoming Border Czar, Tom Homan, has already acknowledged that without large-scale funding from Congress, deportations are more likely to be targeted than sweeping.

If that’s the case—and with two months before any new policies could even take effect, it’s anyone’s guess what will happen—Florida’s law and its impact could provide valuable insight as to what small business owners can expect.