Global Courant
Several hundred people protested this Saturday in Homestead, an agricultural city south of Miami, against the SB1718 immigration law, which entered into force on July 1 in Floridaand to champion the contribution of immigrants to the culture and economy of this state.
More than half a thousand people, of all ages and mostly Mexicans and Central Americans who work in the crop fields and their families, gathered in front of the City Hall with flags and posters alluding to a state law that is considered the toughest. against irregular immigration from across the US
After hearing from various community and religious leaders and witnessing a performance by folkloric groups, the participants began a march through the city, one of many of Florida in which this Saturday immigrants were heard to ask that the validity of the law be stopped and their rights be protected.
“Without the undocumented, like the farm workers and all the others who do the hard jobs, Florida falls apart,” Antonia Catalán, a Mexican activist with the Soy Poderosa organization, which helps immigrant women in the south, told EFE. of the state.
Catalan, who also criticized the restrictions on legal abortion and other laws promoted by Governor Ron DeSantis, was early in the square where the rally was held with the slogan “Freedom for all.”
The Mexican activist maintained that there is “panic” among the undocumented who have decided to stay in Floridaunlike many others who have headed north to work in states like Georgia and North and South Carolina.
“Now that the law has come into force, they don’t want to leave their homes,” said Catalán, who said he had invited some people to join the march, but they gave him a “no” answer.
Another woman, Rosa Elera, spokesperson for Florida Immigration Coalition (FLIC), also acknowledged to EFE that the community is “scared”, but urged immigrants to fight for their rights and trust that community organizations will protect them.
This law that came into force today was going to be much tougher but the pressure made the Congress of Floridatotally dominated by the Republican Party, would “soften” it, he stressed. According to Elera, initially it was going to be punishable to live with undocumented people even if they were from the same family.
“We have to have faith and raise our voices, they are not going to intimidate us,” said the activist. This same Saturday, a group of civil organizations announced that they will present the first lawsuit against the immigration law SB1718 of Florida for violating “the fundamental rights” of people living in this southern state.
The lawsuit, brought by the Southern Poverty Law Center, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and its chapter of FloridaAmericans for Immigrant Justice and the American Immigration Council, alleges that this “discriminatory” law poses “a threat to the rights and well-being of every individual in the state,” not just immigrants.
“The SB 1718 it is unconstitutional and undermines our democracy,” said Paul R. Chavez, senior supervising attorney with the Immigrant Justice Project at the Southern Poverty Law Center.
The lawsuit will be filed against the Governor of Florida, Ron DeSantison behalf of various individuals and the Florida Farm Workers Association.
The law was promoted by the governor DeSantiswho is a candidate in the Republican primaries with a view to being a candidate in the 2024 presidential elections and has made the fight against irregular immigration the workhorse of his electoral campaign.
The SB 1718 forces companies with more than 25 workers to use an official immigration status verification program for each one, under penalty of fines and loss of license.
In addition, hospitals that accept public health insurance (Medicaid) must ask and record whether or not their patients are legal residents, among other provisions. EFE
