ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) — Across the Tampa Bay area, a battle for immigrants’ rights is unfolding. Advocates have observed changes in immigration policies affecting local communities, while Governor Ron DeSantis claims the state remains at the forefront of immigration enforcement.
The deputy director of the Florida Immigrant Coalition said people who were once in the country legally are being targeted.
“76,000 Hondurans who lost their statuses yesterday. And another 4,000 Nicaraguans who lost their status yesterday,” explained Renata Bozzetto, the deputy director of the Florida Immigrant Coalition.
On Friday, DeSantis recapped how the state pushed legislation to support President Donald Trump’s vision for an illegal immigration crackdown.
“We did what we should have done all along, making sure that Florida was the leader in immigration enforcement,” DeSantis said.
Advocates Tuesday night said, with all the enforcement, due process is being taken away.
“Florida is shaming the nation,” Bozzetto said.
Some of them said there aren’t enough attorneys to represent immigrants in these cases.
“If you examine the statistics, without an attorney, achieving relief in immigration court is unlikely,” stated Amy Godshall, a staff attorney with the ACLU of Florida Immigrants’ Rights Campaign. “Yet many organizations have experienced funding cuts from both state and federal levels, often because they voice opposition to those same entities.”
According to Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, Hillsborough County has over 35,000 pending immigration cases, with just over 8,000 having legal representation.
“How can you afford an immigration attorney when employment is not an option? Even individuals with legal work permits face arrest and detention, which is unjust, even though it shouldn’t be the case,” Godshall remarked.
DeSantis asserts that the state holds those here illegally accountable. Immigration advocates urge donations to support organizations litigating immigration cases.
