As Florida lawmakers made a last-minute fundraising push on Monday, a group of activists gathered outside the Governor's Club to support immigration reform.
The group, known as the Young American Dreamers, wants Florida to withdraw from a legal challenge to President Barack Obama's executive action on immigration.
"Somebody has to speak out and let [Gov.] Rick Scott and [Attorney General] Pam Bondi know that when they filed the [legal challenge], it wasn't on behalf of Florida, it was on behalf of their own agenda," Executive Director Daniel Barajas said. "Most Floridians support some kind of immigration reform."
The protesters included 15-year-old Alvaro Lara, of Winter Haven, a U.S. citizen who fears his Mexican-born father will one day be deported.
Alvaro traveled 5 hours and 40 minutes to participate in the protest.
"I've had lots of friends whose families have been broken apart," he said. "Humans are humans. We shouldn't be treated different because of where we were born."
Fourteen other Central Florida residents held signs and an American flag outside the Governor's Club.
There were at least two fundraisers taking place inside. One event sought to raise money for 11 Republican candidates for the Florida Senate. There was also a fundraiser for the Senate Democrats in the third-floor library.
Lawmakers cannot collect checks once the 60-day legislative session begins. The 2015 session kicks off Tuesday.
Source: Miami Herald
