Latest news with #IleanaGarcia
Axios
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Miami weighs ICE partnership as advocacy groups push back
The City of Miami is expected to decide Tuesday whether to allow its police department to partner with federal immigration authorities and empower them to enforce federal immigration laws. It would be the latest in a growing list of municipalities in the county to do so, following Doral, Miami Springs, Coral Gables, Homestead and others. Why it matters: The resolution could have major implications in a city whose population is more than 70% Latino or Hispanic, with more than half of residents being foreign-born, according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau data. Critics say — and research supports — that partnerships between local police agencies and federal immigration enforcement can erode trust between police and immigrant communities. The other side: Officials have said that municipalities are required to follow state and federal laws and that the goal isn't to target residents based on ethnicity. The big picture: The vote comes amid growing tensions in Miami regarding President Trump's immigration crackdown. Earlier this month, state Sen. Ileana Garcia, a Miami Republican and co-founder of the group Latinas for Trump, called Trump's mass-deportation campaign "inhumane," the Miami Herald reported. Driving the news: The city's resolution, proposed by the police department, would authorize the city attorney to enter into a 287(g) agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. This is the second time the city's agenda includes the proposal. In April, commissioners deferred the item. Between the lines: Gov. Ron DeSantis has made it clear he wants all agencies with 25 or more officers to partner with the federal program and has asked the Legislature to empower him to suspend law enforcement officials who don't cooperate. The latest: On Saturday, thousands gathered at the Torch of Freedom in downtown Miami for the "No Kings" protest, marching, holding signs and chanting slogans, including "No hate, no fear — immigrants are welcome here," multiple outlets reported. A group of about 250 protesters gathered at Pride Park in Miami Beach. What's next: Local organizations — including ACLU Florida, the Florida Immigrant Coalition, and the Miami Workers Center, among others — are calling on residents to oppose the agreement and attend Tuesday's meeting.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘This is not what we voted for': Latinas for Trump founder rejects deportation agenda
In his second inaugural address, Donald Trump delivered a memorable message to the Hispanic community. 'I want to thank you for the tremendous outpouring of love and trust that you have shown me with your vote,' the president said. 'We set records, and I will not forget it. I've heard your voices in the campaign, and I look forward to working with you in the years to come.' The details of the rhetoric were predictably wrong — the Republican ticket's performance with Hispanic voters was improved, but the assertion that it 'set records' was absurd — though the comments suggested that Trump might at least try to be slightly less punitive toward the community in his second term. Nearly five months later, as the White House pursues a radical mass deportation agenda, the president's assurances are ringing hollow. The Hill reported: Florida state Sen. Ileana Garcia (R), co-founder of Latinas for Trump, issued a sharp rebuke of President Trump on Sunday as his administration seeks to ramp up deportations and other actions against migrants without legal status. Garcia took particular issue with reported tactics in southern Florida, where immigration officials have allegedly been making arrests in immigration courts and taking other steps to target individuals otherwise in compliance with legal orders. 'I will not stand down,' Garcia wrote by way of social media. 'I want to put myself on record: 'This is not what we voted for. I have always supported [Trump], through thick and thin. However, this is unacceptable and inhumane. I understand the importance of deporting criminal aliens, but what we are witnessing are arbitrary measures to hunt down people who are complying with their immigration hearings — in many cases, with credible fear of persecution claims. ... This undermines the sense of fairness and justice that the American people value.'' Rep. María Elvira Salazar, another Miami-area Republican and Trump supporter, similarly described herself as 'heartbroken' over the White House's tactics, adding, 'Arrests in immigration courts, including people with I-220A and pending asylum cases, the termination of the CHNV program, which has left thousands exposed to deportation, and other similar measures, all jeopardize our duty to due process that every democracy must guarantee.' This roughly coincides with the Trump administration pushing to eliminate funding for the Smithsonian's long-planned National Museum of the American Latino and scrapping the Spanish-language version of the White House's website. So much for telling Latino voters, 'I look forward to working with you.' But I'm also struck by the familiarity of the circumstances: Trump has betrayed Black voters in recent months in ways that are difficult even to count. Trump has betrayed Muslim voters to such an extent that leaders of Arab Americans for Trump decided to change their name. In other words, when it comes to those feeling a sense of buyer's remorse, Florida's Ileana Garcia is hardly the only Trump voter and saying, 'This is not what we voted for.' This article was originally published on
Newsweek
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Republican Turns on Trump's Deportation Plan: 'Inhumane'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A Florida Republican has broken from the ranks to slam President Donald Trump's mass deportation plans as "inhumane." State Senator Ileana Garcia, a co-founder of the pro-Trump group Latinas for Trump, took to social media to voice her opposition, directly criticizing both the policy and Stephen Miller, the architect behind the Trump administration's hardline immigration measures. "This is not what we voted for," Garcia wrote in a post on X."I have always supported Trump, through thick and thin. However, this is unacceptable and inhumane." Florida State Sen. Ileana Garcia is seen during a hearing at the Florida State Capitol Jan. 11, 2024. Florida State Sen. Ileana Garcia is seen during a hearing at the Florida State Capitol Jan. 11, 2024. Francis Chung/POLITICO via AP Images Why It Matters The remarks come as the president's immigration agenda sows fear into immigrant communities in South Florida. Hundreds of thousands of Cuban and Venezuelan immigrants have been impacted by the administration's decision to revoke Temporary Protected Status (TPS). These communities largely backed Trump in the November election, contributing to his victory in Miami-Dade County. President Donald Trump vowed that his administration would remove millions of individuals living in the U.S. without legal status. The White House has said it will go after the "worst of the worst" and said anyone living in the country illegally is a "criminal." His hard-line agenda has saw ramped up raids, halted asylum processing for undocumented migrants, and expanded the authority of ICE to detain those in the country unlawfully. What To Know Garcia said: "I understand the importance of deporting criminal aliens, but what we are witnessing are arbitrary measures to hunt down people who are complying with their immigration hearings—in many cases, with credible fear of persecution claims—all driven by a Miller-like desire to satisfy a self-fabricated deportation goal." Garcia has been a stringer Trump supporter since he launched his political career in 2016. She founded Latinas for Trump to rally support among Hispanic women. The Republican also served as a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security during Trump's first tenure in the White House. It comes after White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller said that the administration is looking to hit 3,000 ICE arrests per day. Meanwhile, Republican Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar also appeared to shift her stance amid Trump's crackdown. She expressed unease with the policy, saying the "uncertainty" in her community has left her "heartbroken." "Any illegal alien who is deported from the United States receives due process, and if they have pending asylum claims, they are adjudicated by USCIS prior to any removal," White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told Newsweek. What People Are Saying White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told Newsweek: "President Trump was the first Republican Presidential candidate in nearly 40 years to win Miami-Dade county, and polling ahead of the election showed massive support among Hispanic voters for deportations. President Trump is fulfilling his promise to deport illegal aliens and the American people are grateful." State Senator Ileana Garcia wrote in a post on X: "This undermines the sense of fairness and justice that the American people value." Rep. María Elvira Salazar said in a statement on X: "I am fully aware, and heartbroken, about the uncertainty now gripping Florida's 27th District because of the recent immigration actions of the administration." What Happens Next Miami Republicans in Washington, D.C., are set to meet with Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. For now, Garcia's public break with Trump highlights a growing tension within the GOP—between hardline immigration enforcement and the political realities of a state where immigrant voters play a crucial role.
The Independent
09-06-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Latinas for Trump founder now condemns White House deportation agenda: ‘Not what we voted for'
A Republican state lawmaker in Florida who founded Latinas for Trump condemned the administration's sweeping immigration arrests across the state despite the president's months-long campaign that promised the largest 'mass deportation operation' in American history. 'This is not what we voted for,' state Sen. Ileana Garcia said in a statement Saturday. 'I have always supported Trump, through thick and thin. However, this is unacceptable and inhumane.' She said her Cuban-refugee parents 'are now just as American, if not more so, than Stephen Miller,' among the architects of Trump's anti-immigration agenda demanding 3,000 daily immigration arrests. 'I understand the importance of deporting criminal aliens, but what we are witnessing are arbitrary measures to hunt down people who are complying with their immigration hearings — in many cases, with credible fear of persecution claims — all driven by a Miller-like desire to satisfy a self-fabricated deportation goal,' she wrote. 'This undermines the sense of fairness and justice that the American people value,' Garcia added. Her remarks follow arrests across the country targeting immigrants at work sites and inside courthouses, sparking widespread outrage and protests accusing the administration of targeting immigrants who were following the law. But her statements — coming from the Miami -area lawmaker with a years-long history with the president — seemingly ignore Trump's countless campaign promises of a 'mass deportation operation' and years of warnings from immigrant advocates who cautioned against these exact scenarios playing out across the country. Garcia has supported Trump since his first campaign in 2016 and created Latinas for Trump to rally Hispanic women behind the president. She also served as a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security during Trump's first term. Throughout his 2024 campaign, Trump promised to combat what he called an 'invasion' of undocumented immigrants who are 'poisoning the blood of our country,' relying on stories of violent crime to support a brutal crackdown that could impact millions of families. Trump repeatedly promised to arrest, detain and deport people living in the country without legal permission as part of his 'day one' agenda. He first pledged to 'carry out the largest domestic deportation operation in American history' nearly two years ago. 'Lawless mobs of unscreened unvetted illegal alien migrants are stampeding across our border by the millions and millions, including hordes of criminals, terrorists, human traffickers, child smugglers, gang members and inmates emptied out of their prisons and insane asylums and mental institutions,' Trump said in Iowa in September 2023. 'It's actually worse than that,' he added. 'This is an invasion and I'm one candidate who from day one knows exactly how to stop it.' In office, the president rescinded immigration enforcement policy limiting arrests in sensitive locations like courthouses, workplaces, schools, hospitals and places of worship, or at events like funerals, weddings and public demonstrations. Homeland Security officials have also revoked humanitarian protections for roughly 1 million people with temporary legal status — including thousands of people from Venezuela and Cuba, which have large populations in Florida, whose support for the president helped deliver him the state in 2024 elections. Now, thousands of people in those communities have lost protected status, making them vulnerable to immediate removal from the United States. In a recent survey of hundreds of Florida Venezuelans, Florida International University's Latino Public Opinion Forum found roughly 80 percent of respondents — half of whom are U.S. citizen voters — said the administration's rescission of temporary protected status for Venezuelans is unjust. Public criticism from one of Trump's longtime supporters arrived one day after another Republican lawmaker in Florida spoke out against the administration's immigration enforcement. Republican state Rep. Elvira Salazar said people navigating the nation's byzantine immigration system — including their pending asylum claims or green card petitions — deserve to 'go through the legal process.' The Cuban-American state lawmaker said she is 'heartbroken' about the 'uncertainty' gripping her district. Courthouse arrests and the termination of temporary protected status for tens of thousands of immigrants 'all jeopardize our duty to due process that every democracy must guarantee,' Salazar said. After taking office, the president issued an executive order that greenlights fast-track deportation proceedings for immigrants who cannot prove that they have continuously lived in the United States for more than two years. That 'expedited removal' process — historically used at the U.S.-Mexico border — is now being expanded across the country, with masked federal agents standing outside courtrooms to arrest immigrants moments after their immigration cases are dismissed. The American Immigration Lawyers Association says courthouse arrests are a 'flagrant betrayal of basic fairness and due process' for people who are simply following the rules. 'Immigration courts are being weaponized, judges are coordinating with ICE to dismiss cases and immediately funnel individuals into the fast-track deportation pipeline known as expedited removal,' the group said in a statement. 'These are not fugitives. They are individuals, many who are seeking protection from torture in their countries, complying with the law.'
The Guardian
09-06-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Florida Republicans criticize Trump's immigration arrests: ‘Unacceptable and inhumane'
A co-founder of a group for Latinas who support Donald Trump has excoriated the president on some of the immigration-related arrests being carried out by his administration, which she called '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.
