MIAMI — Some undocumented immigrants living in Florida have barely left their homes this week, fearing President Donald Trump will carry out what he has called “the largest deportation program in American history.” and parallel efforts by Gov. Ron DeSantis Strengthening immigration enforcement In the state
Magali, an undocumented immigrant from Guatemala in Central Florida, and her friends talk about it. The American-born mother of three, who lives in Ocoee, asked to be identified only by her first name because of fear of deportation because of her immigration status.
Although the U.S. has been home for 14 years, Magali and her husband, who works in a landscaping business, have come up with an action plan in case the couple is picked up by immigration officials.
Magali was adamant that his family “does not want to go back to Guatemala because it is a dangerous country.” But if she and her husband are deported, they have their children’s passports ready so they can travel together.
The thought broke Megali’s heart since “kids are happy here” in America, where he was born.
Mixed-immigration-status families in Florida are feeling uneasy about what might happen after Trump issued a wave of executive orders on immigration. And DeSantis’ move to get state legislatures to pass additional immigration laws is making the situation even more tense for him.
“We banned sanctuary cities in my first year as governor, and we are not a sanctuary state,” DeSantis said. A news conference in Jacksonville On Thursday, he added that local and state officials “have no right to stop any kind of immigration enforcement, and if you do, you could lose your job.”
Cities like Chicago and New York City have been the focus of the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration because of their Shelter Policies limiting cooperation with immigration authorities. But in unsanctioned areas like Florida, immigrant rights advocates also push back against both the state and the federal government Efforts are being made that promise to work hand in hand to increase deportations. Eleven states, plus the District of Columbia, have Considered protected states..
In Florida, about 4% of the population will be undocumented immigrants by 2021. According to Pew Research.
The same week the new Department of Homeland Security announced it was rolling back longstanding policies limiting so-called immigration enforcement actions. Sensitive areas Like schools, churches and hospitals, Felipe Sousa-Lazaballet was hosting a group of young people at the Hope Community Center. He leads a nonprofit organization in Apopka, near Orlando, that advocates for immigrants and other disadvantaged communities.
These young people were writing letters urging state legislators to vote against the new immigration laws passed by DeSantis.
Proposals from the governor’s office include charging law enforcement officers with corruption and criminalizing elected officials if they do not fully cooperate in enforcing immigration laws. The governor’s office also called for expanding the immigrant transportation program to allow immigrants in the state to be sent out of the United States.
DeSantis called a special session next week to tackle his immigration agenda. Initially, some Republican lawmakers pushed back, saying the issues could be dealt with in the March regular session, setting up an unusual showdown between the governor and lawmakers from his own party.
Oh The memo On Friday, lawmakers were told that it is “constitutionally required” to convene the legislature after the governor calls it into session. It’s unclear how lawmakers will handle the agenda DeSantis wants them to focus on.
But Republican leaders in the legislature have also made it clear they support Trump’s immigration agenda.
Advocates such as Thomas Kennedy of the Florida Immigrant Coalition said they “should take it seriously because, in the past, the legislature has unfortunately not functioned as an independent branch of government in the state. They were just subject to the will of the governor.
Sousa-Lazabelle said she was “anticipating that trifecta moment with Trump and DeSantis and the Legislature.”
He said his organization will begin Friday to engage undocumented youth, or Dreamers, as well as faith leaders in the state to advocate for the human rights of immigrants.
Especially because Florida is not a safe state, rumors of immigration raids have spread across the state, both Kennedy and Sousa-Lazabelle said, adding to the level of fear currently gripping immigrant communities. is an indication of
“There’s a lot of confusion,” Kennedy said. “So it’s overwhelming to keep track of all these rapid changes.”
Sousa-Lazaballet said, “If you’re afraid, very afraid all the time, it’s not a life to live and then it becomes a motivation for people to give up on themselves” and basically themselves. are exiled.
Kennedy and Sousa-Lazabelle believe it’s only a matter of time before immigration raids increase. In the meantime, they continue to help vulnerable families develop action plans if an undocumented relative is suddenly detained or deported.
Rosales, who requested that she be identified only by her first name because of fears about her immigration status, came to the United States from Honduras in 2017 with her husband.
The couple settled in Mount Dora, central Florida, where they operated a construction business. Rosales said her 6-year-old daughter constantly asks her, “Why is this happening? Why doesn’t Trump want us?”
As she tries to come up with answers, Rosales said she’s also having difficult conversations with her friends about whether any of them would support her U.S.-born child if she were to be deported. Will be ready for maintenance.
“I’m nervous, frustrated and exhausted,” she said.
Sousa-Lazaballet said that while “it certainly feels like a new low … I’ve seen time and time again that people rise up in the moment.”
Nicole Acevedo reported from New York and Carmen Sisson from Miami.
