19 JUL 2023

ICYMI: Local Leaders Underscore Rising Condemnations of Governor DeSantis’ Regressive Anti-Immigrant Agenda Amid Campaign Woes and Legal Challenges

The Wall Street Journal: “An estimated 772,000 undocumented immigrants lived in Florida in 2019, many of whom have been there for years and contribute significantly to the state economy… Florida already suffers from a severe labor shortage, and now it will get worse.”

Washington D.C. – As Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign flounders and Senate Bill (SB) 1718 faces a new legal challenge, criticism from local leaders to conservative news outlets continue to highlight the growing unpopularity of the Governor’s extreme agenda–not only with his constituents in Florida but with voters across the country.

Over the past week, Florida State Representative Anna Eskamani (D-42) appeared on several MSNBC shows to discuss the xenophobic policies being enacted under DeSantis’ chaotic leadership, highlighting the devastating economic impact his anti-immigrant and cruel policies are having on the state. Eskamani’s comments underscore escalating denouncements of the Governor’s policies from both sides of the aisle, as DeSantis’ own Republican colleagues recently implored immigrants to stay in the state in spite of the restrictive legislation. The Florida leaders stand parallel to a growing chorus of criticism from across the media landscape, with even the conservative-leaning Wall Street Journal Editorial Board calling SB1718 a “misfire” that will only serve to exacerbate the state’s labor shortage and cause “economic damage to the state.”

As the 2024 election approaches, the consequences of SB1718 foreshadow the negative impact DeSantis and other GOP candidates’ extreme agenda could have for the nation, the economy, and for our communities.

In case you missed it, Rep. Eskamani’s comments on MSNBC:

MSNBC: All In with Chris Hayes 

  • “My constituents are incredibly frustrated by [Gov. DeSantis’ SB1718]. Not only do we have a diverse community in central Florida that embraces our immigrant neighbors, but as you mentioned in your introduction, we’re seeing ramifications in multiple industries. From agriculture to tourism to construction, we’re facing a housing affordability crisis and we need labor. We need the support of diverse people to help lift up our communities and to ensure that we have a strong work force to sustain our growth. This policy is pushing out so many hardworking Floridians, and of course, under Governor DeSantis, we're not seeing any real solutions to actually solve any of the challenges we face with immigration. So it’s been really, really frustrating and of course, the economic effect is being felt already.”

  • “As most folks probably assume, there is no backbone in the Republican Party of Florida right now. Despite even having farmers in the legislature who now admit this policy was 100% politically motivated, the GOP got right in line to support DeSantis, pushing forward these extreme policies that are out of touch with the everyday American—let alone the average Floridian. Again, I think we can all share commonality that we want to see solutions when it comes to immigration, but this isn’t it.”

  • “Floridians cannot afford Florida right now…Things are really bad here in our state, and of course DeSantis is nowhere to be seen because he’s too busy trying to curry favor with Iowa caucus voters while he continues to ignore the real challenges we face in the sunshine state.”

MSNBC: The Reid Out

  • “This is a really dire moment in Florida where everyday people are struggling to make ends meet, meanwhile our governor isn’t even appealing to his base of voters despite the fact that he’s gone all the way to the far right in an attempt to do that.”

  • “He really has failed our state, and for all the calls of the ‘free state of Florida’—I mean people do not have the freedom to be healthy, safe or prosperous.”

MSNBC: Way Too Early with Jonathan Lemire

  • “Let me tell the American people you do not want to mimic Florida right now. We have an affordability crisis, inflation is actually worse in our state compared to the rest of the country. Floridians cannot afford their housing, their property insurance. We have food insecurity and of course, everyday problems that are not being solved because Governor DeSantis is nowhere to be seen and he focuses on these fake boogeyman type of culture wars that ignores the very real economic woes taking place in our state.”

  • “Governor DeSantis and his cronies are attacking employers versus trying to entice more to come, whether it's with theme parks or even insurance companies. Their entire MO is to attack companies or call them ‘woke’ if they make them upset versus trying to create an economy that works for everyone. And of course, I think the anti-immigrant bill Senate Bill 1718 is a very good example of this. Here's a bill that demonizes immigrant workers who are a key component of our economy from agriculture to tourism, to construction. So, we're demonizing employers, we're demonizing workers and no wonder things in our state are unaffordable and that employers are struggling to hire people, let alone have the incentive to come call Florida home.”

  • “I do think that [DeSantis’ political failures] offer the Biden administration and President Biden the opportunity to be that contrast to help lead on immigration reform, lead on issues that impact working class people and really provide a vision for this country and for our state because right now, we do not have one under Governor Ron DeSantis.”

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The Immigration Hub is a national organization dedicated to advancing fair and just immigration policies through strategic leadership, innovative communications strategies, legislative advocacy and collaborative partnerships.