Florida

Sen. Marco Rubio Responds to Immigration Action

Sen. Marco Rubio traveled to southwest Florida Friday where he took part in a round table with members of the state's agricultural industry and responded to the executive action on immigration.

Sen. Rubio visited the Redlands Christian Migrant Association, a migrant advocate group, as well as members of the Gulf Citrus Growers Association in Immokalee.

"I think the priority is always going to be people that are a danger to our country. We have immigration laws and they have to be enforced but the priority should always be and I believe will be, dangerous criminals who pose a public safety threat," Rubio said.

Members of the association said people are worried about President Trump's recent orders on immigration.

"People are very scared, people are very scared," said Ivette Galarza, director of operations. "We work with many parents in this community and they shared with us, you know, 'do I have to worry about being gone tomorrow?'"

Rubio weighed in on the immigration changes.

"What we have now is not good for anyone. It isn't good for the U.S., it isn't good for Mexico, isn't good for migrants and refugees and immigrants," Rubio said.

Much of the labor in the area and in the Florida groves is provided by migrants through legal worker programs. However, undocumented immigrants still make up a portion of the workforce and this is bringing uncertainty to many.

"There's no question that we have a broken immigration system but I think that there's so much better that we can do as a country," Galarza said.

Rubio also touched on Trump's order that would essentially pull funding from sanctuary cities who shelter undocumented immigrants.

"The question is the cost. If you're asking local authorities to hold people because of their immigration status, that costs money to put them in custody," Rubio said. "So I have no problem with that but the federal government should step forward and provide the funding for the additional burden."

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