LUNCHEON & PROGRAM
An estimated 1.2 million undocumented immigrants live in Florida and often work at construction sites, farms, hotels and as caregivers to the young and old. President-elect Donald Trump has vowed mass deportations of those who are in the United States illegally, which has stirred deep concern among immigrant families. The League of Women Voters of Orange County will host a Jan. 8 Hot Topics lunch and discussion — “Immigration: What’s Next for Central Florida?”— that will look at how our community is preparing for sweeping deportation orders.
Doors open at 10:30 a.m. at the Winter Park Events Center for a buffet lunch. The discussion starts at 11:45 a.m. at 1050 W. Morse Blvd. in Winter Park and ends at 1 p.m. Tickets are $30 for League members, $37 non-members.
The moderator is Nancy Alvarez, WESH TV anchor. The panel includes Felipe Sousa-Lazaballet, executive director of Apopka’s Hope CommUnity Center; Gisselle Martinez, co-founder and legal director of the Orlando Center for Justice; Dr. Alexis Tsoukalas, senior policy analyst at Florida Policy Institute, and McKenna Schueler, staff reporter for Orlando Weekly who covers workers’ rights and politics.
About 1.2 million undocumented immigrants live in Florida, according to a recent Pew Research Center report. Many immigrant families have mixed status — meaning that the children or one parent may be a citizen, but other family members may hold green cards or are being allowed to stay in the country only temporarily. Some have been granted Temporary Protected Status, such as Haitian and Venezuelan immigrants. That status can be revoked, though. And what will happen if mass deportations are ordered? Many are concerned about family
separations, loss of income and their legal standing in the citizenship process and are fearful of being detained in workplace raids or while driving to work.
Policy analysts have speculated that the first deportation orders of Trump’s presidency may affect undocumented immigrants who are in jail or prison or those who already have been ordered to leave the country, but it is only a guess about what will happen.
Florida industries such as agriculture, caregiving, leisure and construction experienced employee shortages after the 2023 Legislature passed an immigration law that punishes employers and employees if they are found to be undocumented and requires employers of more than 25 employees to use the federal E-Verify system. The law also bans transporting undocumented immigrants into Florida.
Some questions to be discussed:
--What steps are immigrants in the community taking to prepare themselves and their families?
--How will farming, construction and domestic labor be affected? Will a labor shortage lead to higher prices?
--What can local communities do — if anything?
Hot Topics is streamed live on the League’s Facebook page Facebook and an edited version will be available on the League’s YouTube channel, League of Women Voters Orange County - YouTube.
Visionary sponsors: Phil and Jennifer Anderson. Silver sponsors: Lyn and David Berelsman and Voting Voices — Michele Levy, Charley Williams, and Laurie and Richard Wack. Bronze sponsors: Alex and the Hon. Cynthia Mackinnon.
The League of Women Voters of Orange County, Florida, is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy