Attorney General McCollum's bill lacks commitment to economically and
socially strengthen the Sunshine State
Read the Orlando Sentinel Article here.
For Immediate Release: August 17, 2010
Contacts:
Natali Fani, 202.787.1813; natali@mateagroup.com
Subhash Kateel, 347-524-3374; subhash@floridaimmigrant.org
Brandon Hensler, media@aclufl.org
WHAT: Statewide convening with civil and human advocates to oppose growing
wave of anti-immigrant and racial profile legislation, programs.
WHEN: Wednesday, August 18 at 12 noon EST
WHERE: Hope Community Center, 1016 N Park Ave, Apopka, FL.
WHO: Florida Immigrant Coalition, American Civil Liberties Union,
Presente.org, other civil rights organizations.
Apopka, FL - Dozens of civil and human rights organizations will gather
tomorrow Wednesday August 18 at 12noon in Apopka to respond to the current
trend of politicians in Florida who demagogue immigration while promoting an
agenda of fear in Latino and immigrant communities. For generations, Florida
has enjoyed the cultural footprints of its diverse population; however, the
recent wave of constant anti-immigrant legislation has moved the Sunshine
state away from its history of inclusion for progress.
"Florida's legacy as a state that values its cultural diversity is at risk,"
said Maria Rodriguez, Executive Director for the Florida Immigrant
Coalition. "Instead of working to solve the foreclosure crisis, creating
jobs and making our communities safe, we have politicians implementing
programs and promoting legislation that push Floridians down to the bottom."
Florida was the first state to implement the federal program 287g, an
agreement with the Department of Homeland Security that authorizes local
police to act as immigration agents. Then earlier this year, Florida
officials spread the federal Secure Communities program throughout the
state, a measure that places immigrants in deportation proceedings before
conviction. And now, as the most recent attempt against immigrants,
Florida's Attorney General unveiled a bill that is even more aggressive than
the controversial anti-immigrant and racial-profiling law of Arizona - SB
1070, making his proposal detrimental to the state economy and a threat to
civil rights throughout the state.
"Measures such as the one proposed by General Attorney McCollum would
target people like me who have never done anything wrong other than strive
to empower my community. This bill would criminalize me and would make me
feel unsafe under my own skin," said Felipe Matos, an undocumented student
from the Trail of DREAMs and organizer with Presente.org
http://Presente.org/.