Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) is taking a shot at his challenger, former Representative Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D-FL), for her support of Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan (D) after she compared former President Donald Trump’s (R) plan to deport all illegal immigrants to concentration camps.
When asked about the majority of Americans supporting the mass deportation of illegal immigrants, Mayor Deegan said she “would hope that people would say yes, absolutely we must fix the broken immigration system. Let’s pass a tough border law. But to put people in what would really amount to a concentration camp-type situation, to round them out of the country, doesn’t seem to me to be a very American thing to do.”
The interviewer of the [London] Times said the use of the phrase concentration camp is “loaded.” Deegan doubled down, asking, “What would we call them if you’re rounding people up and putting them in camps, what would we call those? It’s a concentration of people that are in a camp. I’m not suggesting anything beyond that, but I think it seems rather inhumane to me.”
Sen. Scott pointed out former Rep. Mucarsel-Powell’s congratulatory statement after Mayor Deegan won her election in May of 2023, describing her as a “colleague” of the former congresswoman.
This is disgusting and dangerous rhetoric. @DebbieforFL supports Kamala’s wide open border and her colleague who just compared enforcing our laws to the Holocaust. She should be ashamed. https://t.co/dKGkAkpYVf pic.twitter.com/RrU0sXNix7
— Rick Scott (@ScottforFlorida) October 17, 2024
“This is disgusting and dangerous rhetoric. [Debbie Mucarsel-Powell] supports Kamala’s wide open border and her colleague who just compared enforcing our laws to the Holocaust. She should be ashamed,” said Sen. Scott.
Responding to the mayor's assessment, Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters recently derided her comments, backing President Trump's immigration policy.
In a statement released on social media, Sheriff Waters called the mayor's comments "shocking and reckless." The Jacksonville sheriff added that it is “disappointing to see our Mayor equate a commonsense immigration policy with one of the most horrific atrocities of the 20th century."
https://t.co/9WfkTVFSE2 pic.twitter.com/hINEvZlg6X
— Sheriff T.K. Waters (@jsosheriff) October 16, 2024
Sheriff Waters then distinguished President Trump's immigration policy from Vice President Kamala Harris's (D) handling of the border.
"Here are the facts: Kamala Harris, who Deegan supports, has allowed a wide-open border and millions of illegal crossings," the sheriff argued. "Along with a surge of violent criminals, fentanyl has poured into our country and poisoned our communities," he added.
Floridians will have the choice between Trump and Harris as well as Scott and Mucarsel-Powell on Nov. 5.
