Florida advocacy groups issued travel advisories for the state on Wednesday in the wake of legislation pushed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Equality Florida, the largest LGBTQ organization in the state, urged people not to travel to the state due to what it sees as a dangerous environment.
“As an organization that has spent decades working to improve Florida’s reputation as a welcoming and inclusive place to live work and visit, it is with great sadness that we must respond to those asking if it is safe to travel to Florida or remain in the state as the laws strip away basic rights and freedoms,” Equality Florida Executive Director Nadine Smith said in a statement.
The advisory comes after Florida state representative Webster Barnaby called transgender people “demons” and “mutants” during a discussion on a bill that, if passed, would require Floridians to use public bathrooms that correspond with their sex assigned at birth.
Despite discouraging people from traveling to the state, Equality Florida wants those who choose to live in the state to fight against what it calls discriminatory policies.
Florida Immigrant Coalition also weighed in Wednesday. Representing more than 65 immigrant groups, it stressed the danger of the state’s immigration policies.
“In Florida, routine daily activities for those who cannot immediately prove United States citizenship and lawful residency at all times may result in devastating consequences,” a statement from the group said. “These consequences include arrest for operating a vehicle, no matter the state you are from, reduced access to health care services and compromised safety.”
The group’s travel advisory is in part a response to two pieces of legislation pushed by Mr. DeSantis. They seek to increase state power over businesses suspected of hiring illegal immigrants, letting authorities conduct random audits. State identification laws would be beefed up as well. State IDs issued to noncitizens in neighboring states would not be valid in Florida.
Mr. DeSantis sees the bills as necessary and that the Biden administration is not doing enough to protect states with heavy immigration numbers like Florida or Texas.
“We need to do everything in our power to protect the people of Florida from what’s going on at the border and the border crisis,” he said in a press conference in February.
The two travel advisories come weeks after the Florida NAACP voted to ask its national board to issue a travel advisory for the state. Mr. DeSantis dismissed the move as a “joke.”
“This is a stunt to try to do that. It’s a pure stunt, and fine if you want to waste your time on a stunt, that’s fine,” the governor said. “Look, I mean, I’m not wasting my time on your stunts. OK. I’m gonna make sure that we’re getting good things done here. And we’re gonna continue to make this state a great state.”
• Vaughn Cockayne can be reached at vcockayne@washingtontimes.com.
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