TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — More advocacy groups are warning visitors of the Sunshine State to think twice before they hop on a flight. The Florida Immigrant Coalition on Thursday issued a national travel advisory for the state.
“Despite what the advertisement is about the free state of Florida,” said David Metellus. “We do have very limited rights.”
The coalition’s concern is with Florida Senate Bill 1718, which would make it a felony to transport or hide undocumented immigrants. It would also require hospitals to report a patient’s immigration status to the state.
“It doesn’t make our communities safer,” Metellus said. “It doesn’t do anything to address the broken immigration system. It just makes life harder for everyday Floridians.”
Metellus is the director of policy and politics for the coalition. He said people should make a safety plan and understand their rights if they’re coming to Florida.
“We really want to make sure that people who are coming from other states,” Metellus explained. “That they know the conditions that are happening in Florida.”
The coalition’s travel advisory comes after the Florida NAACP urged their national board to issue a travel advisory too, in response to current legislation and bills in Tallahassee.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis dismissed the state NAACP’s actions in a speech in March.
“We get involved in these stupid fights,” DeSantis said. “This is a stunt to try and do that. It’s a pure stunt. And fine, if you want to waste your time on a stunt, that’s fine.”
In a statement to 8 On Your Side, the governor’s office repeated that message regarding the recent travel advisory:
This type of thing is a political stunt. We aren’t going to waste time on political stunts but will continue doing what is right for Floridians.
Bryan Griffin, Press Secretary
Equality Florida, an LGBTQ+ rights organization, also issued a travel advisory Wednesday, citing the risks to people’s health, safety and freedom, especially for the LGBTQ+ community. In a statement to Fox News, DeSantis’s office also called that advisory a stunt.
