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Scott PowersNovember 7, 2017

Saying more than 90,000 Puerto Ricans already have evacuated to Florida from Hurricane Maria’s devastation and far more are expected, U.S. Reps. Darren Soto, Stephanie Murphy, and Dennis Ross have co-signed a letter sent Monday to federal officials urging Florida get its full funding as a host state to support the migration. The letters to […]

Scott PowersOctober 31, 2017

Federal and state comprehensive, strategic plans are desperately needed to coordinate services for Hurricane Maria evacuees from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands so that they can best find the services wherever they’re available in Florida, Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs said Tuesday. Jacobs warned that someone needs to be coordinating where tens of […]

Steve SchaleOctober 9, 2017

Since Maria, the question I’ve gotten more than any other is: “So if X number of Puerto Ricans move to Florida because of the hurricane, what does this mean?” Honestly, I write this blog with some hesitation. As I work on this piece, 80-90 percent of the population still lacks power and some 50 percent […]

Scott PowersOctober 3, 2017

Help for Puerto Rico and for Puerto Ricans evacuating to Florida is going to be best provided by the rapidly-rising group of private groups, churches, and companies and government coordination will have to be done by the state, leaving little direct power for Orange County and other counties, Mayor Teresa Jacobs said Tuesday. Jacobs and […]

Scott PowersOctober 2, 2017

Gov. Rick Scott declared an emergency in Florida Monday covering all 67 counties to provide assistance to Puerto Rico, and he announced the creation of Puerto Rican disaster relief centers in Orlando and Miami for people fleeing the devastation left behind by Hurricane Maria nearly two weeks ago. “Today, to ensure Florida has every available […]

Scott PowersSeptember 15, 2017

State Rep. Bob Cortes has introduced a measure that would urge Congress to take steps to expand citizenship rights for people of Puerto Rico and improve the commonwealth’s opportunity for statehood, without actually dealing directly with the statehood issue. House Memorial 147 calls on Congress to address inequalities Puerto Rico and its residents face that […]

Scott PowersJuly 10, 2017

A Brevard County commissioner is taking on Puerto Rico, in a confrontation that is rumbling through Central Florida’s Puerto Rican population and bound to lead to a showdown Tuesday night at the county commission meeting. John Tobia, a Republican former member of the Florida House of Representatives who now represents southeast Brevard on the county […]

Scott PowersApril 27, 2017

President Donald Trump has thrown Puerto Rico into his Twitter cannon, bringing angry responses from Puerto Rican leaders and activists in Florida, including from Democratic U.S. Rep. Darren Soto, who charged Trump was declaring war against Puerto Rico. The president sent out two tweets, one Wednesday night and one Thursday morning, tying Puerto Rico relief to Democrats’ budget demands […]

Scott PowersFebruary 3, 2017

The social fallout from Puerto Rico’s multi-fasceted financial crisis must be dealt with in more immediate ways in Central Florida where so much of the diaspora is fleeing, a panel of scholars urged key Puerto Rican political leaders in Orlando Friday. Their call for concern for recognizing, assisting, and empowering Puerto Ricans settling by the […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterOctober 5, 2016

Puerto Rican voters in Florida overwhelmingly support Hillary Clinton, according to a new survey. A new poll from the Center for American Progress Action Fund found 74 percent of Puerto Rican voters in the Sunshine State were supporting Clinton. Another 17 percent said they were backing Donald Trump, while 3 percent said they would vote […]

Tag: Puerto Ricans

Darren Soto, Stephanie Murphy, Dennis Ross push funding for Puerto Rico evacuees

Teresa Jacobs expresses frustration over lack of FEMA, state coordination plans to help evacuees

Steve Schale: Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico and Florida politics

Teresa Jacobs: Orange County’s role limited for Puerto Rico, Puerto Ricans

Rick Scott declares emergency in Florida for Puerto Rico, opens relief centers

Bob Cortes measure seeks full citizenship, short of statehood, for Puerto Rico

Brevard resolution opposing statehood outrages Central Florida Puerto Ricans

Donald Trump tweets on Puerto Rico infuriate Puerto Ricans, raise budget deal questions

Puerto Rico crisis panel brings it home to Florida

New poll shows strong support for Hillary Clinton among Puerto Rican voters in Florida