Mexican Consulate in Orlando uplifts fearful families in light of new Florida immigration law
The Russians ran high in a room in central Florida where faith and community leaders spoke to fearful immigrant families. Westview-Sanay, Ghebergarhia, is outside the Mexican Consulate in Orlando with their reaction to what Governor Ron DeSantis calls the strongest anti-illegal immigration bill in the country. More than 100 people came to the meeting Thursday night. Community leaders are encouraging immigrant families to not be afraid of reaching out to lawyers, resource sensors and churches so they can better understand their rights. This law is immoral. Families and children living in a cloud of fear are trying to find some clarity. We want to say that all of our churches are open for you as sanctuary.
The Mexican Consulate invited the immigrant community to an information session in Orlando Thursday to help them understand their rights. It comes after the governor signed what he calls an anti-illegal immigration bill. I'm so worried and I'm sad too. The Mexican Consulate of Orlando says Senate Bill 1718 could break Florida families apart. In the kids too. In the kids because most of the Mexicans who live in Florida, born in the U.S.
, born in Florida, but their parents know. Many of the parents are undocumented and they think their parents have to leave this state and go to another state and the kids will be there. The law will make it a felony to transport undocumented immigrants into the state, require hospitals to collect citizenship status from patients and punish businesses if they hire people living in the country illegally. At a news conference this week, Governor Ron DeSantis said his goals are to protect Floridians from crime and health care costs. Most of the people here illegally or probably all of them, they're not paying for any of the services they're getting, you're paying for it as taxpayers. Reverend and Dr. Gabriel Salguero is the president of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition.
The faith community wants the governor to know this might have been the biggest mistake he's ever made. The families that are leaving right now in Florida are families that have been here many years. We have ways to fight back. We have the law on our side. Immigration lawyers are planning to file lawsuits before the new law takes effect on July 1st. Reporting in Orange County, Senegal Brigadegues, WSH-2 News.
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