Florida Republicans criticize Trump's immigration arrests: ‘Unacceptable and inhumane'
In a statement posted on X over the weekend, Ileana Garcia wrote, 'This is not what we voted for.'
The post from the Florida state senator asserted that she had supported Trump, her fellow Republican, 'through thick and thin' and understood the need to remove from the US undocumented people who had committed crimes.
But she criticized how federal authorities had arrested people at immigration courts across the country despite 'credible fear of persecution claims' as the Trump White House ramped up his mass deportation campaign after his second presidency began in January.
Referring to Stephen Miller, Trump's homeland security adviser and deputy chief of staff, Garcia said: 'What we are witnessing are arbitrary measures to hunt down people who are complying with their immigration hearings … all driven by a Miller-like desire to satisfy a self-fabricated deportation goal.
'This undermines the sense of fairness and justice that the American people value.'
Garcia's statement expressed solidarity with comments issued Friday by another Florida Republican: US House member Maria Elvira Salazar. In a statement, Salazar had said the Trump administration's policies had exposed thousands to deportation and seemed to disregard for the 'duty to due process that every democracy must guarantee'.
Salazar's statement added that those with pending asylum claims deserved 'to go through the legal process' while urging the Trump administration to keep focused on removing 'every criminal here illegally'.
Garcia alluded to how she represents Salazar's congressional district in Florida's state senate and said her Cuban refugee parents are 'now just as American, if not more so, than Stephen Miller'.
'I am deeply disappointed by these actions,' Garcia's statement said. 'And I will not stand down.'
Garcia's remarks are not the first time she has gotten cross with the Trump administration. She served as a deputy press secretary for the US homeland security department during Trump's first presidency before leaving the post in March 2019, ahead of his defeat in the 2020 election to Joe Biden and her joining the Florida state senate.
During his unsuccessful 2020 run, Trump's campaign launched its own official Hispanic outreach coalition and delivered multiple cease and desist letters threatening legal action against the Latinos for Trump organization who had supported his victorious first presidential run, as ABC News reported at the time.
Sign up to This Week in Trumpland
A deep dive into the policies, controversies and oddities surrounding the Trump administration
after newsletter promotion
The Latinas for Trump organization that Garcia helped establish was affiliated with that group, and she said she was stunned to learn of the cease and desist letters in question.
Garcia accused the Trump administration of having 'refused to embrace surrogates from the Latino community who did the real groundwork, took the bullets, took the insults and lost their jobs' as he ascended to the presidency.
'It's actually quite disappointing,' she said then.
Trump won the Florida vote in each of his three presidential campaigns. His Mar-a-Lago resort is in the state as well.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
3 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
WWE star Chelsea Green quits social media after being attacked over controversial Hulk Hogan tribute
WWE superstar Chelsea Green has been forced to flee social media after receiving horrific death threats over her comments on the late Hulk Hogan. Green, WWE's inaugural Women's United States Champion, paid tribute to the wrestling legend live on CBS News 24/7 shortly after his death from cardiac arrest Thursday. The 34-year-old attempted to give as balanced outlook on the 'Hulkster', acknowledging his 'polarizing political views' before hailing the impact of the 'absolute icon.' However, given her advocacy of the LGBTQ + community, some fans slammed the Canadian fighter for speaking out in support of the wrestler, who had been an outspoken supporter of President Donald Trump and had endured a racism scandal in 2015. As the abusive criticism began to flood in on social media, Green attempted to clarify her comments, apologizing for any offense she had caused. 'A significant part of my role at @WWE involves engaging w the public & responding to questions, often on live platforms,' Green wrote on X. 'Yesterday, I was asked to comment on Hulk Hogan on live tv. Let me be clear: my stance on racism is unwavering. I do not condone it—period. 'If my response (or tweet) seemed dismissive of real concerns, I sincerely apologize,' Green continued. 'That was never my intention. I tried to acknowledge a death respectfully, even when the legacy is complicated. I am learning one day at a time and will continue to learn.' However, the vitriolic reaction to her remarks was not quelled by her apology. Instead, it only began to escalate to such a level that Green was forced to take a step back from the platform. 'I've tried to keep my page positive and comedic, but today, a lot changed… and it hit harder than I expected. The name calling, the death threats, the faceless accounts,' she posted Friday night. 'Social media was supposed to be a fun place and it hasn't been for a while. It's been overwhelming and I need to step away for a little bit.' Hogan died at the age of 71 on Thursday after suffering cardiac arrest at his home in Clearwater, Florida. EMTs were called to the property and the wrestler was transported to a nearby medical facility, where he ultimately passed away. Before his death, Hogan launched his own beer brand and became known as an ardent Trump supporter. He endorsed Trump's presidential candidacy at the 2024 GOP convention and later spoke in favor of his fellow reality TV star at a Madison Square Garden rally in October. He even pitched himself to be Trump's Vice President before JD Vance was chosen. But in some corners, his act was growing tired, especially after Hogan was recorded using racist slurs in 2015. In a video made public by The National Enquirer, Hogan said 'I guess we're all a little racist' and used the n-word while referring to his daughter's love life, repeating the phrase 'f***ing n******' several times. Anger over the incident continued into this year as Hogan was booed during a rare WWE appearance in Los Angeles. Although Green opened her on-air tribute to Hogan by acknowledging the divisive aspect of his life, she went on to praise his 'legacy.' 'He was an absolute icon,' she told CBS News 24/7. 'If it weren't for Hulk Hogan there are many of us in the wrestling industry that absolutely would not be here. He inspired a massive generation. It is a loss that we are feeling deeply in the wrestling community.' Hogan is survived by his wife Sky Daily, his two children, Brooke, 36, and Nick, 34, whom he shared with his first wife Linda Hogan, as well as two grandchildren. Sky was Hogan's third wife, marrying the former wrestler in 2023 following his divorces from ex-wives Linda and Jennifer McDaniel in 2009 and 2021 respectively. Through the final months of his life, Hogan battle through the emotional toll of a bitter family feud with ex-wife Linda and his daughter Brooke. In an astonishing video on social media shared back in March, Linda first accused her former husband of being a 'complete liar' and 'sex addict' . She also claimed their family is 'in the worst mess' after Brooke cut both parents out of her life, before hitting back at her mom by alleging that her dad was not the only reason behind the shocking family divide, claiming she was 'verbally and mentally abused' during her childhood. 'Sadly, it would frequently turn physical. And sometimes it's not by the person you would assume, abuse comes in all shapes and sizes,' Brooke alleged. After Brooke's stunning response, Linda then took a dramatic U-turn by defending Hogan and branding her daughter a 'narcissist.'
Daily Mail
3 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Education boss who railed against sexual content in schools showed nude women on office TV during meeting, colleagues say
An Oklahoma education boss is under investigation after colleagues say he allegedly showed images of nude women on his office TV during a meeting. Republican Ryan Walters, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, hosted a meeting on Thursday where two State Board of Education members claim they saw the explicit images. Walters has flatly denied the accounts, claiming they are the result of a political agenda'. But board members Ryan Deatherage and Becky Carson told The Oklahoman that they couldn't quite believe their eyes. Carson told the outlet: 'I was like, "those are naked women", and then I was like, "No, wait a minute. Those aren't naked, surely those aren't naked women. 'Something is playing a trick on my eye. Maybe they just have on tan body suits. This is just really bizarre".' She added that it then became clear what she was watching, and that it had left her 'disturbed'. Carson said: 'I was like, "What is on your TV?" I was very stern, like I'd been a mother or a classroom teacher. And I said, "What am I watching? Turn it off now!".' The two said that Walters, who has four children to with his wife Katie, had his back to the TV at the time and that he did not apologize or offer any explanation as he turned off the TV. An inquiry is now underway into the incident, according to state Senate President Lonnie Paxton. Paxton said in a statement: 'This is a bizarre and troubling situation that raises serious questions about the events and what took place during yesterday's executive session at the Oklahoma State Board of Education meeting. 'The accounts made public by board members paint a strange, unsettling scene that demands clarity and transparency. 'Senator (Adam) Pugh and I appreciate the quick action by OMES to help coordinate through this situation to get details on exactly what happened. More transparency is essential before strong conclusions can be drawn.' On Friday, Walters issued a defiant statement suggesting that both Deatherage and Carson had made the whole thing up. He said: 'Some of these board members are blatantly dishonest and cannot hide their political agenda. 'It is disappointing that they are more interested in creating distractions than getting work done for Oklahoma families.' During his tenure as State Superintendent he has railed against sexual material, labeling some books as 'pornography' while attempting to ban them from schools. In October of last year, he mandated that every public school classroom in the state must have a Bible. Offering specifics, the Bibles must include a text of the Pledge of Allegiance, the US Constitution and other historical documents not typically associated with the text. The only Bible that fit the bill was county music star Lee Greenwood's God Bless the USA Bible, which is endorsed by President Donald Trump. Trump received royalties for their sales, according to The New York Times, with disclosure reports from last August showing he made $300,000 from endorsing it. In March the state Supreme Court blocked the attempt, Walters filed a motion this week to lift a stay that pauses the purchases of the Bibles for the approaching school year. A former public school teacher who was elected to his post in 2022, Walters ran on a platform of fighting 'woke ideology,' banning books from school libraries and getting rid of 'radical leftists' who he claims are indoctrinating children in classrooms.
Sky News
15 minutes ago
- Sky News
There seems no end in sight to asylum hotel protests - as five intense minutes by a roundabout in Norwich proved
Why you can trust Sky News It was an unlikely backdrop for a protest - a large roundabout on the outskirts of Norwich. But behind the trees flanking one of the carriageways was the reason hundreds had come - another hotel being used to house asylum seekers. Just as towns and cities around the country have seen protests in recent days, most prominently in Epping in Essex where at least 18 arrests have been made, this time the focus was the Brook Hotel. It started peacefully - bar the beeping of horns of passing cars and the chants from protesters on both sides. But in a flash, it all changed. Witnesses say one of the pro-immigration protesters had approached the much larger group wearing a balaclava and in seconds the pent-up fury spilt over as an angry crowd surged towards the police, shouting and swearing. Some tried and failed to hold back the furious crowd urging peace as a small group of police and protesters rolled down a verge, while backup officers emerged from a side road. But as quickly as it started, it was all over - an intense five minutes that seemed to take the wind out of their anger. Trying to find anyone willing to speak was almost impossible: "We don't talk to the mainstream media," a common phrase. But David Beane, from nearby Costessey, a veteran and the father of an eight-year-old boy, had clear views he wanted to share. "I know homeless people from the forces. I got out of the force, no dental treatment, I can't get a doctors. They get everything," he said. "I'm all up for immigrants coming, but sign the paperwork. You show who you are, you come in, you abide by our laws." It was David's first time at a protest. Another local man attending was Glen. "They're in there, free rent, free everything," he said. There have been protests in nearby Diss too this week. The Park Hotel in the town has now informed the Home Office that it will close altogether if it is ever made to house single men rather than families at the location. Back in Norwich, torrential rain was enough the bring an end to the day's event. Only a few stragglers remained two-and-a-half hours after it had all begun. But it seems likely they will be back. There seems to be no end in sight to the current spate of disruption.
