Latinas for Trump co-founder warns immigration strategy could cost GOP midterm elections
Ileana Garcia's rift with her party deepened after the protests in Minneapolis against immigration raids.
A Customs and Border Protection agent
Republican state senator from Florida, Ileana Garcia, co-founder of the national group Latinas for Trump, issued a direct warning to her party: the current administration's immigration strategy could translate into defeat in the midterm elections if it is not urgently corrected.
Garcia, 56, a Miami native, argued that immigration policy went from uncomfortable to unsustainable, both politically and personally. According to a report in The New York Times, the senator has even feared for the safety of her own son, a young adult who "looks Hispanic." In parallel, constituents in her district began turning to her for help in locating family members detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
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A personal and political breaking point
Garcia's estrangement from the official line deepened after the death of Alex Pretti, who was gunned down while protesting in Minneapolis against immigration raids. The senator said she was "dumbfounded" by what happened and considered the event evidence that immigration enforcement has "gone too far."
Garcia attributes much of the toughening of immigration tactics to Stephen Miller, the president's deputy chief of staff and a key national security advisor. Referring to the political impact of these decisions, she stated, "I do think that he will lose the midterms because of Stephen Miller," directly alluding to President Trump.
From close ally to immigration skeptic
According to the report, Garcia also expressed her rejection of the deportations of Cubans with non-violent offenses who had been in the United States for decades, as well as Venezuelans and other immigrants from politically unstable countries who had temporary permits to live and work in the country. In her view, these measures have caused profound harm to families and communities.
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Criticism and pressure
In recent months, the legislator has intensified her criticism on social media and in local media outlets, which has even led to death threats. Despite this, she insists that silence within her own party poses a greater risk than speaking frankly.
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