Maria Molina came to the United States with her family when she was in her 20’s because of political and safety instability in her home country of Nicaragua. She had to find work, along with her father and three sisters, to feed her family. She doesn’t think that undocumented workers benefit her community. “They harm our district because they don’t pay taxes like the rest of us.”

But, Molina thinks that eventually getting undocumented immigrants accustomed to life here is more acceptable than not having them here at all. Molina says, “They should get accustomed to life here and pay taxes instead of us just handing them Green Cards and all the benefits that come along with them.” But, Molina is not alone. Several other people in Florida’s 20th Congressional District share her views.

Florida’s 20th District combines the beach with international culture, people, business headquarters for companies such as Norwegian Cruise Lines, and the second largest city in the state, Miami.

The 20th Congressional District citizens are facing issues with immigration. While, congressmen, from past and present alike, support Immigration Reform and believe that immigrants are welcome and will prove to be beneficial to the District, people from the area have shared their different opinions with us.

Daniel Stermer, a commissioner for the City of Weston, said that immigrants are a part of the city and adds to the “character and flavor” of it. According to Stermer, “the Latin community makes up approximately 50% of the population of Weston” and “ it is a part of what makes Weston the extraordinary community that it is.”

George Paredes, a McDonald’s Manager on Saddle Club Road, said immigration reformchallenges his personal beliefs.

“Immigration harms us because people come and work for cheaper and take jobs from us” he said. Paredes came to the United States when he was a teenager with his family, and has worked hard to make a living in this country.

Paredes wants jobs to be filled by qualified people and not by people that will work for cheap wager, and save the company they work for money “I’ve been in the United States for 14 years, I went through the process and it isn’t fair for someone to receive what I have without doing anything.”

 

 DISTRICT FACT BOX:
Florida District: 20
Total Population: 691,727
Hispanic or Latino: 216,352
White: 538,467
Black: 85,293
American Indian: 2,225
Asian: 22,632
Other: 23,810
Mixed Race: 18,929
Median Household Income: $45,609
Winner of 2012 Election: Barack Obama

Reach Guest Contributor Eduardo Serpa Here