Wednesday afternoon, the Gainesville Immigrant Neighbor Inclusion Initiative (GINI) held a press conference at City Hall on why the Gainesville Police Department should rescind General Order 82.4, which requires officers to report suspected undocumented immigrants.
GINI has dubbed General Order 82.4 the “Show me Your Papers” policy and has been advocating against it since it was first implemented on August 27.
GINI coordinator Ethan Maia de Needell presented the results of a survey conducted among 98 immigrants in Gainesville and Alachua County. The survey represents immigrants from 15 countries. Survey takers had language differences and varying immigration status.
“The results are damning,” said Maia de Needell. “Racism and the fear of immigration enforcement are the biggest barriers to feeling safe and included in our city, despite claims from city leaders that we are a welcoming community.”…