Trucks lined Conroy Road in Orlando on Thursday, bearing signs blasting a new immigration measure signed into law by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Hundreds of immigration rights advocates, including immigrant workers and their families, rallied as part of a statewide day of action in protest to SB 1718, a law that’s considered one of the harshest immigration measures in the country.
“We love FL, We live in FL, We fight for FL,” read a sign taped onto the side of one truck. “We came here to work, not to rob,” read another.
The statewide day of action (with some peaceful protests planned in other states) was inspired by social media posts by Latino truck drivers who, in mid-May, called on their fellow drivers to boycott Florida on June 1. The Orlando demonstration was staged outside the office of Florida Rep. Carolina Amesty, an Orlando-area Republican who voted for the new immigration law. Amesty, who has Venezuelan heritage, campaigned on targeting socialism and “illegal immigration,” according to Florida Politics, and has defended her position on the legislation.
[content-1] One sign said bluntly, “Carolina: Your people or your party.”
Amesty isn’t the only one staring down an existential choice. Other signs pointed out that immigrants do most of the construction, agricultural, and service industry jobs that make Florida run and keep small business owners in the money.
