CHIRLA WARNS TRAVELERS
FLORIDA IS NOT A SAFE PLACE TO VISIT
Due to unconstitutional laws being passed in Florida intent on criminalizing immigrants, the Sunshine State is experiencing one of its darkest moments in history and could pose a risk to immigrants everywhere.
| LOS ANGELES — The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), the largest immigrant rights organization in California, joined other leading immigrant and civil rights organizations across the country issuing an Emergency Travel Advisory to any person, families, or students, warning that Florida may not be a safe place to visit. Due to unconstitutional laws being passed in the state aiming to criminalize immigration and invite harassment of people without a regulated immigration status, every county in Florida now poses a high risk of unlawful detainment and potential family separation based on racial profiling. The following comments can be attributed to Angelica Salas, CHIRLA executive director: “It is with great concern that we join sister organizations across the country in advising immigrants, U.S. citizens, and people who different immigration status, that if they travel to Florida, they could be charged with a felony if traveling or housing themselves with someone without a regulated immigration status. Unless Florida’s lawmakers have a change of heart and stop their cruel and obsessive persecution of immigrants, we take the highly unusual but necessary step to warn travelers that Florida is not safe to visit,” stated Angelica Salas, CHIRLA Executive Director. “Governor Ron DeSantis is exercising an overreach of his power by criminalizing residents of other states who have legally issued licenses given to them by their states’ governments after meeting the requirements. Actions by one zealous, anti-immigrant governor should not be allowed to upend the lives of millions of Americans and their families visiting Florida,” Ms. Salas added. “With the stroke of a pen, Governor DeSantis is infringing and assaulting medical freedoms, academic freedoms, attempting to censure and erase LGBTQ+ communities, limitings arts and sports participation by members of some communities, fomenting racial prejudice, repealing gun safety laws, and frantically attacking immigrant communities. In his drive to appeal to the far-right wing of his party, Mr. DeSantis is making Florida an unwelcoming place for any American and we should all be very concerned.” “We will continue to energetically work with other organizations to ensure we fight and defeat these discriminatory and divisive measures,” concluded Ms. Salas. CHIRLA made the following recommendations to anyone planning to travel to Florida:
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