Florida Senator Ileana Garcia (R), a co-founder of Trump’s Latino outreach, expressed her concerns on Sunday regarding his administration’s recent actions aimed at bolstering measures against undocumented immigrants.
Garcia specifically highlighted issues occurring in southern Florida, where immigration officers are reportedly arresting individuals in immigration courts along with implementing other measures targeting those complying with legal orders.
“This is not what we voted for,” Garcia stated in a post on X.
“I recognize the necessity of deporting criminal immigrants, but what we’re witnessing are arbitrary actions that are affecting those who are attending their immigration hearings,” she added.
“This undermines the principles of fairness and justice that Americans hold dear,” Garcia emphasized.
She reached out to the White House for further comments.
Garcia’s remarks came after criticism from Representative Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FLA), who claimed that the administration’s actions could lead to thousands of deportations, thereby jeopardizing “our obligation to a legitimate process that democracies must uphold.”
Salazar insisted that anyone with pending asylum claims deserves a fair hearing, pointing out that many of these claims come from individuals fleeing Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua, which she described as the three most oppressive regimes in the region.
While expressing her agreement with Trump’s commitment to deporting criminals residing illegally in the country, Salazar stressed that there are many genuine individuals who should not be targeted.
In response to Salazar’s comments, Garcia stated, “I stand with Congresswoman Salazar.” She expressed that, as a state senator and daughter of Cuban refugees, she feels deeply disappointed by these developments, noting that her frustration is, perhaps, more pronounced than even that of Stephen Miller’s, reflecting a broader sentiment among Americans.
