Miami faith leaders and Commissioners join Haitian and Latino advocates to oppose racial profiling bills

MIAMI – On Monday, March 14th, the Senate Judiciary Committee will vote on their proposed immigration legislation SPB7066, titled “Unauthorized aliens”.

Miami faith leaders and County Commissioner Jean Monestime, join Latino and Haitian immigrant advocates to publicly express their concerns about this bill, send a message to the members of the Judiciary Committee chaired by Sen. Anitere Flores (R-Miami), and inform the immigrant community in South Florida.

A press conference will be held at the Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, 464 NE 16th Street, Miami at 10am. Scheduled to be in attendance are: Archdeacon Jean Fritz Bazin, Episcopal Diocese of Southeast Florida, Jean Monestime, Miami-Dade County Commissioner, Marleine Bastien, Director, Fanm Ayisyen Nan Miyami, Alma Aguilera, Unidad Hondureña Independiente, Susana Barciela, Policy Director, Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center, Jonathan Fried, Director, We Count!, and Florida Immigrant Coalition.

“Latinos and Haitians in Miami don’t realize the extent of what is happening in our legislature in Tallahassee. With so many anti-immigrant bills filed during the last week, with terrible consequences for immigrant families and businesses, it is our duty to inform everyone,” said Isabel Vinent, Deputy Director for the Florida Immigrant Coalition.

SPB 7066 forces local police to question the immigration status of any person arrested, even for minor offenses such as traffic violations, and turn them into ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) even without being convicted of a crime. This will increase unfair detention and deportation of innocent immigrants and potential victims and witnesses of crime. It also mandates e-verify for all businesses under the threat of license revocation.

“We hope Sen. Flores hears our concerns and her Committee reconsiders this bill,” says Vinent.