Pro-immigrant groups are protesting Senator Ileana Garcia for her support of a bill they say is against undocumented immigrants. Although the senator denies it, and has another opinion on the nature of the law.
With banners and raising their voices, dozens of pro-immigrant groups and residents of our community demonstrated outside the office of Senator Ileana Garcia against Bill SB1718 sponsored by Senator Blaise Ingoglia, which these protesters say , could make it a crime to have a friend or family member who does not have regulated immigration status in their home, car or workplace.
Paula Muñoz, organizational director of FLIC (Florida Immigrant Coalition), says: “there is a law Sb1718 that criminalizes our families and the senator voted if we were here last week in committee because this law will endanger our families in places like hospitals and the way we transport people, that would make me ask people for documents”
María Bilbao, a pro-immigrant activist, says: “It’s something that will affect all of us, undocumented residents, and I’m applying for my citizenship. If I pick someone up in my car, it’s crazy.”
This bill prohibits local governments from providing funds to issue what is called community identification to undocumented immigrants, among other things.
Bertha, a pro-immigrant activist, says: “The SB is going to charge a person who takes an undocumented person in their car or has an undocumented person in their house or takes them in their car is an attack, she being a Latina who robs the immigrant community.
Leydi Amador, a Cuban favorable to immigrants, assures us that “we cannot shout ‘Patria y Vida’ if we pass depressive laws, a woman to Cuban fathers. My whole family came to live the American Dream, because you can and they can’t. This law represents all the hatred and evil that uses immigrants as a political tool.
Through a statement, Senator Ileana García told us that the bill aims to prevent human trafficking and end abuses committed by unscrupulous people who take advantage of the most vulnerable.