Jesse Scheckner
Agriculture Commissioner and gubernatorial candidate Nikki Fried is castigating Lt. Gov. Jeannette Nuñez for suggesting the state government should relocate undocumented migrants from Cuba to Florida to President Joe Biden’s home state of Delaware.
Fried called the comments by Nuñez, the daughter of a Cuban exile, “wildly inappropriate … cruel and wrong.”
In a clip of a recent appearance on Miami Spanish-language radio station WURN that circulated online Saturday, Nuñez can be heard discussing her outlook on undocumented immigrants in Florida and a plan Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration has for them.
“Those numbers have come through the border from Cuba, and you can be completely sure that where they want to end up, where they want to arrive is Florida. There is no doubt about it,” she said. “The state has no jurisdiction over the issue of migration, but we have jurisdiction over the welfare of our residents, of our communities. And therefore, the Governor worked with the Legislature to secure funds to ensure that people who come (here) illegally — he, again, won’t remain with crossed arms. He will not be thinking about, ‘What is he going to do?’
“He is going to send them, quite frankly, to the state of Delaware, to the state of the President.”
Governor Ron DeSantis is planning to force immigrants who arrive in Florida to be bussed to Delaware according to his Cuban-American Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez who shared the plan on Spanish radio in Miami. pic.twitter.com/7rhwSmIsVC
— Cubanos Pa'lante (@cubanospalante) August 20, 2022
Fried was quick in issuing a stark rebuke on Twitter.
“Wildly inappropriate words from Ron DeSantis’ (Lieutenant Governor),” she wrote. “Fleeing communism and tyranny to a state rich with family and culture only to be deported north by bus is cruel and wrong.”
Wildly inappropriate words from Ron DeSantis’ LG. Fleeing communism and tyranny to a state rich with family and culture only to be deported north by bus is cruel and wrong. https://t.co/Mhg9KBwqG5
— Nikki Fried (@NikkiFried) August 20, 2022
Of the estimated 2.3 million Hispanics of Cuban origin living in the United States, two-thirds resided in Florida as of 2017, according to the Pew Research Center. More than half are foreign-born.
Cuban Americans are most densely populated in Miami-Dade, Nuñez and Fried’s home county and the site of many demonstrations over the years calling for the liberation of Cuba.
Last year, U.S. Reps. Mario Díaz-Balart, Carlos Giménez and María Elvira Salazar stirred up residents in calls for more action from Biden to help the Cuban people, who rose up in massive numbers to protest conditions on the island and communist rule under President Miguel Díaz-Canel.
In a November 2021 press conference announcing a $25 million earmark in state funds for Miami Freedom Tower, a historic site known for its role in helping Cuban refugees, DeSantis bashed Biden for what he called a “pathetic” federal response and a “missed historic opportunity.”
“There’s been many different flashpoints throughout the last many decades,” he said. “But I don’t know that you’ve ever seen this much dissatisfaction boiling to the surface where we really could see a change and see a better future, finally, after decades of repression.”
In May this year, the Governor returned to Miami Freedom Tower to sign legislation honoring Cubans who fled to the U.S. to seek the American dream and declare Nov. 7, the day before the 2022 General Election, “Victims of Communism Day.”
Fried’s opponent in the Democratic Primary, U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist, issued a statement about Nuñez’s comments Saturday afternoon.
“Playing partisan political games with Cuban refugees is a betrayal of our deepest values as Floridians and as Americans,” he said. “These men and women are escaping a brutal and murderous regime and yearning to be free. They deserve better than to be treated as pawns in DeSantis’ political games designed to curry favor with the extremist base of the Republican Party.
“This should shake every freedom-loving Floridian who may not look like, speak like, or vote like Gov. DeSantis. If he is willing to play with the safety and well-being of refugees from a communist dictatorship just to play political games to win the White House in 2024, he has disqualified himself from public office.”
Nuñez’s senior adviser, Nikki Whiting, defended her boss and noted Fried “doesn’t speak Spanish.”
“The Lt. Governor spoke about two different things: the influx of Cubans at the border and the Governor’s efforts to tackle Biden’s reckless border policies,” she wrote on Twitter.
Clearly Nikki Fried doesn’t speak Spanish. The Lt. Governor spoke about two different things: the influx of Cubans at the border and the Governor’s efforts to tackle Biden’s reckless border policies. https://t.co/tq3qlU2GCz
— Nikki Whiting (@nikkiwhiting) August 20, 2022
Fried’s comments came in a quote-tweet of Michael Bustamante, chair of Cuban and Cuban-American studies at the University of Miami, who does speak Spanish.
Christina Pushaw, DeSantis’ former press secretary who now works as director of rapid response on the Governor’s re-election campaign, similarly argued Nuñez’s comments were taken out of context. She said Fried errantly conflated illegal migration and Cubans “fleeing to nearest safe country,” who would “generally” be considered refugees “and would be legal.”
Yes her comments were decontextualized in this misleading tweet. She drew a distinction between legal and illegal migration. Cubans who come directly to FL (fleeing to nearest safe country) are generally refugees and would be legal. https://t.co/WJh831etCy
— Christina Pushaw 🐊 🇺🇸 (@ChristinaPushaw) August 20, 2022
In a follow-up tweet that included a lengthy transcript of Nuñez’s comments, Pushaw said the Lt. Governor “clearly said those who come illegally should be transported out of Florida, no matter where they came from.
“If someone came to Miami on a raft from Cuba to escape communist repression, that person is legal (because they are a) refugee. This isn’t hard to understand.”
.@LtGovNunez clearly said that those who come illegally should be transported out of Florida, no matter where they came from.
If someone came to Miami on a raft from Cuba to escape communist repression, that person is legal bc refugee.
This isn’t hard to understand. https://t.co/QWOCcCOzsY
— Christina Pushaw 🐊 🇺🇸 (@ChristinaPushaw) August 20, 2022
Pushaw did not mention that to be considered a refugee, a person must demonstrate to the U.S. government that they were persecuted or in fear of persecution and receive a referral to the U.S. Refugee Admission Program to begin their process of acceptance.
It is common for refugees and asylum seekers to fear imprisonment and deportation, an issue to which many attribute Florida’s population undercount in the 2020 Census.
___
Editor’s note: This report was updated to include comments from Crist, Whiting and Pushaw and include a longer quote from Nuñez in which she referenced migration through Cuba.
46 comments
Impeach Biden
August 20, 2022 at 2:27 pm
So desperate for attention all for a losing cause. Looking forward to Tuesday when she goes away. Start packing up that Ag office Nikki, your reign of terror is almost up.
Joe Corsin
August 20, 2022 at 3:18 pm
^ So desperate for attention… mental health issues laid bare for all to see.
Impeach Biden
August 20, 2022 at 4:15 pm
It’s the Corsin / Offen comedy show that seeks attention. I’m having f7n just calling your sorry ass out. Really going to be laughing come November.🤣
Joe Corsin
August 20, 2022 at 4:39 pm
It’s you who has been called out. Learn to follow a conversation.. understand sequence of events etc. You need medication…
Impeach Biden
August 20, 2022 at 2:29 pm
By the way Nikki maybe you can hire some of those illegals to work on your Marijuana Plantation. 🤣
Elliott Offen
August 20, 2022 at 3:52 pm
Lay off the pills and booze for Christ sake…
Impeach Biden
August 20, 2022 at 4:14 pm
Looks like the Corsin / Offen comedy show is now becoming a Greek Tragedy. I’ll gladly take a breathalyzer and drug test right now if you are paying big mouth.🤣
Elliott Offen
August 20, 2022 at 4:37 pm
Yeah you need a breathalyzer alright…a king kong ding dong breathalyzer.
PeterH
August 20, 2022 at 2:36 pm
Republicans are America’s problem. Vote all Republicans out of office.
Toast Master
August 20, 2022 at 3:07 pm
Every economic and social issue besieging America lands squarely on the heads of the ruling class. A class of people who travelled exclusively through ideological echo chambers. A class who believe they are the best and brightest by nature of their fealty to a set of ideas. Ideas that are proven every day to not actually work in the real world.
Most of these people identify as Democrats and Leftists. Not to leave out the despised RINOs, Republicans in Name Only, who believe the exact same things about themselves and only slightly differently on policy.
To your point we are voting all the “Republicans” out. Liz Chaney was the latest and not the last. If you could see that your fellow Americans who reject a complacent and incompetent ruling class are not your enemy, you might make progress an reforming your own political party. One full of greedy machine elected octogenarians who refuse to let go of power. Complimented equally by delusional lunatics’ who know nothing of history, economics or philosophy. That is the basic knowledge one must posses to govern, rather than to rule.
Elliott Offen
August 20, 2022 at 3:16 pm
Let’s get someone solutions. Who do you suggest replace the ruling class..and would they then become the ruling class? Are you suggesting anarchy, fascist oligarchy, socialism..let’s hear it.
Impeach Biden
August 20, 2022 at 5:46 pm
Great idea. Let’s put the squad in charge. Add Beetljuice (mayor of Chicago), Latoya Cantrell (mayor of New Orleans), all the George Soros DA’s, not to mention all the other BLUE mayors and BLUE Governor’s. They will fix things all right. Right down the shitter if we let them.
Joe Corsin
August 20, 2022 at 8:52 pm
Try to write something valuable at least once a day there idiot…
Impeach Biden
August 20, 2022 at 9:01 pm
Oh I do Corsin / Offen. I contribute to society. You on the other hand are a whining, spoiled, entitled knucklehead. Do something with your life besides punching your keyboard every day and eating mom’s meatloaf.
Joe Corsin
August 20, 2022 at 9:06 pm
I have more money than you I promise. Send Rick Scott and Donald Trump some of that “contribution” buddy they will make your grandchildren rich 😆😂🤣😭
Impeach Biden
August 20, 2022 at 9:54 pm
Oh so the Corsin / Offen comedy show now claims they are rich. So who do they actually represent? Corsin thinks he owns me. I sincerely doubt that. Corsin/ Offen are leftists that subscribe to free shit U. You knuckleheads own nothing but student debt if you are really that old. Now pay up buttercup.
TJC
August 20, 2022 at 6:44 pm
Let’s send Marco Rubio, that son of Cuban immigrants, to Delaware! No heart, no spine, no Dream Act for him. Off you go Rubio!
Impeach Biden
August 20, 2022 at 7:00 pm
What we are learning here is that these so called sanctuary cities really aren’t that. It’s name only and yet another BS BLUE talking point that is being exposed by the RED Tsunami coming. 😄
Joe Corsin
August 20, 2022 at 8:54 pm
Zzzz zzz zz snoozer neo nazi taking points day in and day out. Trying to wake up Hitler? I tell you Hitler will wake up before orange Hitler is elected again 😆
Impeach Biden
August 20, 2022 at 8:57 pm
You have no game Corsin / Offen. No one is buying your BS. Fraud is gone Tuesday and Crist is gone in November.
Joe Corsin
August 20, 2022 at 9:03 pm
And you’ll still be in need of a brain transplant. How will you afford this? DeSantis will help you? Rick Scott?😆
Impeach Biden
August 20, 2022 at 9:59 pm
Still no game. You are an amateur amongst professionals. 🤣
Jerry
August 20, 2022 at 7:32 pm
Meanwhile the liberals are working hard to make America a communist country. That’s why Cubans who come here and become citizens want nothing to do with the Democratic party. They have seen first hand what happens when you let the socialist parties have free reign. It turns into a dystopian nightmare. A government so big and powerful it does nothing but bring equal misery to all.
Impeach Biden
August 20, 2022 at 8:04 pm
You are correct Jerry. The Corsin / Offen comedy show and their cast of characters are truly missing the boat here with their desire t9 implement socialism. Look at the Cuban’s and Venezuelans fleeing those places. The majority in this country do not want the squad teaching economics. Do not want Hank Johnson teaching geography. Do not want the Governor of New York trying to figure what pronouns to use. Do not want the mayor of New Orleans choosing art in the city. Do not want the mayor of Seattle organizing “Summer of Love” tours. Do not want the West Hollywood City Council defunding the police and installing unarmed ambassadors. And on and on and on. The tsunami is coming
Elliott Offen
August 20, 2022 at 8:56 pm
^ Stupid far right propaganda… militiaman protecting billionaires. Pathetic and cave man stupid.
Impeach Boden
August 20, 2022 at 9:57 pm
You and your alias are boring.
Joe Corsin
August 20, 2022 at 10:20 pm
Because you vote for the hogs..you don’t have the sense that God gave an ape n ain’t worth the powder it would take to blow ye fuggin brains out! Your grandchildren ain’t gonna have a pot to pizz in either!!!
Impeach Biden
August 20, 2022 at 8:13 pm
Jerry is absolutely correct on this. The Cubans and Venezuelans are fleeing their socialist nations as they want to be free from the chaos. The Corsin / Offen comedy show and their cast of characters want this. We don’t want the squad teaching economics. We don’t want Hank Johnson teaching geography. We don’t want the mayor of Seattle organizing “Summer of Love” tours. We don’t want the mayor of New Orleans choosing art in that beautiful city. We don’t want the West Hollywood City Council defunding the police and installing unarmed ambassadors. I could go on but the Red Storm will take care of the rest
Impeach Viden
August 20, 2022 at 8:14 pm
Looks like the spin machine at FP is working overtime. Even FP can’t stop the incoming Red Tsunami.
Impeach Biden
August 20, 2022 at 8:27 pm
Yes the Corsin / Offen comedy show and their cast supports free stuff. Here come the Cubans and Venezuelans that have seen enough of the slackers like the Corsin / Offen comedy show. They don’t want the squad teaching them economics. They don’t want Hank Johnson teaching geography. They don’t want the mayor of Seattle organizing “Summer of Love” tours. They don’t want the mayor of New Orleans selecting art for that city. Lastly they don’t want the West Hollywood City Council defunding the police and installing unarmed ambassadors. The Red Storm is coming.
Joe Corsin
August 20, 2022 at 9:00 pm
Free stuff? How about NO STUFF when you are cleaning toilets for a billionaire because he’s bought everywhere else you could possibly work and controls the flow of money completely. Perhaps a Florida politician will hire you to hold paper targets while he practices his shooting skills. Calls you a white nig every once in a while…puts cigar out on your forehead.😆
Impeach Biden
August 20, 2022 at 9:05 pm
Uh oh. Corsin / Offen with the “N” word. Interesting how this site lets that slide by but scrubs comments from others. Maybe the Corsin / Offen comedy show is nothing more than a phantom alias of one of the writers that contribute to this site. I’m going to say that the Corsin / Offen comedy show is now racist. Shame on you Corsin / Offen.
Joe Corsin
August 20, 2022 at 9:08 pm
That N word is you buddy…that’s what Rick Scott considers people like you I hate to tell you. And Trump wouldn’t wipe his azz with you.
Impeach Biden
August 20, 2022 at 8:37 pm
Even the FP site can’t stop the Red Tsunami coming.😀
Elliott Offen
August 20, 2022 at 9:01 pm
^ Vote RED to be forced to work around people like this guy😆
Impeach Biden
August 20, 2022 at 9:07 pm
Vote BLUE if you want to sit on your ass and smoke pot and get Biden to pay for your student debt.
Elliott Offen
August 20, 2022 at 9:09 pm
You could have used free education and free stuff…that I can tell you 😆😂😭
Impeach Biden
August 20, 2022 at 9:29 pm
Resistance is futile. The storm is coming and I don’t need free education. I also don’t want to pay for yours therefore DeSantis gets my vote. Move to Venezuela if you want free stuff. I’ve been there, let us know how it goes. Problem is the internet might not be as fast and mom won’t be there making her meatloaf.🤣
Elliott Offen
August 20, 2022 at 9:43 pm
You will be slapped by Nikki Fried..see details below 👇
Elliott Offen
August 20, 2022 at 9:42 pm
You need a semi closed hand slap by Nikki Fried…yeah her razor sharp nails will tear into your mouth and cheeks…rip out chunks of flesh. This will teach you the error of your ways…your slave to billionaire ways. Your grandchildren won’t have a pot to piss in because of your stupidity.
Impeach Biden
August 20, 2022 at 9:45 pm
She’s gone come Tuesday. Crist gone come November. It’s coming Corsin / Offen. You might have to find a job. 😜
Elliott Offen
August 20, 2022 at 10:16 pm
Charlie is gonna give you a flying knee to the balls, a spinning round house kick to your neo nazi face, a Bruce Lee cross kick to the ass, and a heel kick to the top of your poorly educated skull. Even if he loses the election we still gonna find a way to give you a big smack eventually. Gonna take some money out if your fat azz pockets.
Brandon
August 20, 2022 at 10:32 pm
Nikki the bitch again. Do us a favor and go move to Delaware.
Joe Corsin
August 20, 2022 at 11:37 pm
Charlie Crist will hold you down while Nikki Fried scrubs her sauced rug in your face…back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. You’ll clean her carpet for what you people have done.
Maxine Sue
August 21, 2022 at 10:16 am
This is ALL ABOUT DeSantis’ White House dreams. Florida has no border with Mexico; sorry, Ron, the truth hurts. Nevertheless, he plots and schemes 24/7 about inserting himself into national politics even when he has no place there. This is just the latest of his daily publicity stunts.
Impeach Biden
August 21, 2022 at 9:29 pm
But you were fine with Newsom running adds on Florida tv a couple of weeks ago and him at the WH when “the senile one” was out of town.
Comments are closed.