Florida Democrats Condemn Trump's Continued Attacks on Immigrants

Today, Congressman Darren Soto, State Senator Bobby Powell and State Representative Cindy Polo held a press call to denounce Trump’s attacks on the immigrant community, after the announcement of expected raids targeting migrant families to begin on Sunday in 10 cities across the United States, including Miami.

In the last week, President Trump has embarked on a new set of attacks to immigrant communities, including renewing the call for raids and his failed attempt to include the citizenship question on the 2020 census.

Congressman Darren Soto

“Florida is a state of immigrants, who make our economy and our community stronger. It is unacceptable that this administration continues his attacks to our communities. Trump’s latest attacks include manufacturing a humanitarian crisis at the border, holding people in detention centers, separating families, trying to add a citizenship question on the 2020 Census, and calling for new raids across the nation targeting migrant families. In the House, Democrats have been fighting against these attacks, by passing the Dream and Promise Act to help Dreamers and TPS recipients have a pathway to citizenship, working on humanitarian standards in the border through the appropriations package, working with local governments to counter the raids in our communities, and making sure that every resident is counted in our 2020 Census.”

State Senator Bobby Powell

“In the Florida Senate, I have pushed for a Complete Count Committee along my colleague Senator Victor Torres, but unfortunately did not get the attention of Governor DeSantis. It is important that we educate the public on the Census, especially in areas that are hard to reach. DeSantis needs to issue an executive order calling for a Complete Count Committee and not leave it up to the federal government. Democrats have worked hard in the Florida legislature on measures to make sure that we have strategies in place that guarantee an accurate and complete count.”

State Representative Cindy Polo

“It is crucial to place a spotlight on the inhumane treatment from this administration to the immigrant community. The rhetoric used by Trump and local representatives is immoral and irresponsible, and will drive community members into the shadows. We are seeing how this administration is putting our families at risk by ramping up raids in the next few days, an ICE facility in Miramar having people facing brutal weather conditions when they go to appointments and even denying activists and good samaritans to give them water. I urge community members and local leaders to stand up against these attacks. They can’t talk about their immigrant backgrounds during campaign season and later ignore what is happening. I implore the Republicans in the Miami-Dade delegation to stand up to their party when they denigrate members of our community, not because it is politically convenient but because it is the right thing to do.”