'Openly hostile toward African Americans': NAACP issues 'formal travel advisory' for Florida
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) issued a "formal travel advisory" on Saturday for individuals sojourning to the Sunshine State "in direct response to Governor Ron DeSantis' aggressive attempts to erase Black history and to restrict diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in Florida schools."
The alert stated that "Florida is openly hostile toward African Americans, people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals. Before traveling to Florida, please understand that the state of Florida devalues and marginalizes the contributions of, and the challenges faced by African Americans and other communities of color."
It also included a call to action, urging "Florida residents to join this effort to defeat the regressive policies of this Governor and this state legislature."
As CNN noted, the organization's warning followed a cautionary edict published on Wednesday by the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) over DeSantis' recently adopted draconian immigration laws. Similarly, Equality Florida declared on April 11th that Florida is no longer "safe" for LGBTQIA+ people.
"LULAC exposes the extensive impact of Governor DeSantis' sweeping anti-immigrant, anti-Christian family rampage, harming the Florida economy and further marginalizing immigrant communities. Bill 1718 goes into effect July 1, 2023," the group wrote.
"Under the new enforcement orders, Florida's construction, restaurant, and agriculture industries are set to be economically devastated," LULAC continued. "These businesses heavily rely on immigrant workers, and the enforcement measures will disrupt their workforce, leading to significant economic losses. Furthermore, healthcare facilities in Florida will now be obligated to track and turn away any patient who cannot provide proof of legal status in the United States. This policy places an unjust ethical burden on providers administering necessary medical care and perpetuates discrimination based on immigration status."
DeSantis is expected to formally announce his candidacy for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination this upcoming week.
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