(Photo by Bellanee Plaza)
ORLANDO | U.S. Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost hosted a press conference Jan. 26 outside of Christ the King Episcopal Church to address the targeting of Central Florida migrant communities as part of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ migrant relocation program.
The press conference comes after Christ the King Episcopal Church was targeted on Jan. 21 by the program vendors. Frost was joined by church leaders, a bishop and Rep. Johanna López.
Frost addressed the situation right when the press conferenced began. He expressed his frustration when he found out about the program flyers from Father Jose Rodriguez. The flyers were left at the church and other places of worship across the district that predominantly serve Spanish speaking communities and Haitian communities, he said.
“We find this unacceptable,” Frost said. “We find the fact that the governor is using taxpayer dollars to relocate people he doesn’t like for some reason to a different state and drop them on the side of the road, unacceptable. We wanted to make sure that we put this together to stand together as clergy, political leaders, and citizens to make sure that people hear our voices on this.”
The program flyers are from a company called My Bright Horizon Program. In the flyer it says it is a free opportunity to voluntarily relocate with the offer of travel by flight or bus, lodging during travel, hygiene supplies, security for duration of travel and daily meals and beverages.
Rodriguez spoke directly after Frost to share his feeling of violation. He held up the program flyers and addressed how misleading it is. He expressed how tiring it is for these situations to occur.
“To bring to this facility a document that tricks people into being trafficked across borders, being moved from the warmth and safety of Florida into the cold, hard winter of a place like Chicago or New York without a jacket, without family, without ties that offer them help that isn’t help, but it is a subversion of our duty of care and abandonment,” Rodriguez said. “I’m here to say that this is a step too far.”
Rodriguez continued to say that he would have no part in hurting the people he is called to by handing out the flyers to an unsuspecting populace.
López shared her feeling on the situation, especially as a Hispanic Christian. She said she felt disrespected and that churches cannot be used to provide the program flyers.
“It’s very targeting to certain communities because having flyers in Creole and Spanish is a direct target to our Haitian community and our Latino community,” López said.
Before López could continue she paused to say that she was going to speak in Spanish because she wanted to be clear with her community in their language.
Bishop Derrick McRae, senior pastor at the Experience Christian Center, spoke about getting the phone call from Frost about the program flyers. He said he felt disgusted to see the church get targeted.
“Today I stand before you to address the pressing issue that requires our immediate attention,” McRae said. “The need for government programs that prioritize the well-being and rights of vulnerable communities rather than using them as political tools. Moreover, I want to emphasize the importance of protecting the dignity and safety of migrants within our community.”
Frost took the pulpit once more to share how angry he felt when he heard the news from Rodriguez. He called the action “racist” and “bigoted.”
“As a member of the House Oversight Committee, which oversees the federal government, I am going to be calling for us to continue to look and investigate into the anti-democratic practices of Ron DeSantis,” Frost said. “And how he’s using taxpayer dollars to push through a bigoted agenda at our churches, at our food pantries and in our communities. This is a damn shame and I’m upset.”
He continued to share that he is here to fight for humanity.
Speaking with Watermark, Frost says he felt a new type of anger when he saw the flyers, adding he thought of the migrants who could be tricked when they come to Florida looking for a better opportunity.
“It has language on here, especially the Spanish and Creole one that would make someone believe that they’re gonna be taken care of on the other side, but they’re not,” Frost says. “You’re gonna be dropped on the side of a road in the freezing cold in a state you might not know anyone in and you’re going to be told good luck; you’re not our problem anymore.”
