TITUSVILLE, FL – On Thursday, Gov. DeSantis requested during a press conference that the Biden Administration rescind executive actions related to federal immigration enforcement.
The ACLU of Florida responded to DeSantis’ announcement with the following statement:
“In a state where one in five people are immigrants, we reject the notion that more people should be fed into the immigrant detention system. Governor DeSantis has made a trademark out of vilifying our immigrant communities. These latest actions fit the same cynical pattern, and will further diminish community trust in law enforcement, instill fear in immigrant communities, and make our communities less safe. At a time when the federal government is beginning to pick up the pieces and heeding calls to create a more humane immigration process, Governor DeSantis is reverting to the false, anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies that led to family separation and unnecessary suffering by Florida’s immigrant communities.
“The suffering, human rights violations, and deaths that have occurred in immigrant detention facilities in Florida and nationwide are too numerous to list, and new reports of such tragic occurrences continue on a regular basis. Instead of doubling down on the failures of cruel and reckless immigration enforcement — from faulty detainer requests to inhumane detention conditions and other violations of fundamental rights — Governor DeSantis should focus instead on fostering compassionate and welcoming communities, protecting public health, empowering our economy, and creating solutions that work for all Floridians.”