Equality Florida Condemns Sen. Marco Rubio's Bigoted Comments on Immigration Reform and the Employment Non-Discrimination Act

Rubio on Immigration Reform:  

"If this bill has in it something that gives gay couples immigration rights and so forth, it kills the bill. I'm done. I'm off it, and I've said that repeatedly."

Rubio on ENDA (the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would protect LGBT people from being fired because of their sexual orientation or gender identity): 

"By and large I think all Americans should be protected but I’m not for any special protections based on orientation."
  

MEDIA STATEMENT BY NADINE SMITH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF EQUALITY FLORIDA

Senator Rubio's statements are indefensible and heartless. I challenge Sen. Marco Rubio to meet with families torn apart by current laws. Let him sit with couples who have been forced apart and children who are denied access to both parents because the law does not recognize their family.

Thankfully the Senator does not reflect the majority of Americans or Floridians who, by an overwhelming margin of 67%, believe “it is important that the US immigration system keeps families together regardless of sexual orientation.”1

Nearly two-thirds of Hispanic voters support the inclusion of same-sex bi-national couples in immigration reform, and 70% of Hispanic Catholics support these provisions. Rubio's recent rhetoric about pulling his support for immigration reform if same-sex couples are included is a slap in the face to his constituency and the families directly harmed by the current laws.

The Senator’s opposition to the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) is also out of sync with the country and Florida voters who believe people should not be fired based on prejudice.

Nearly three-quarters of voters (73%) support protecting gay and transgender people from workplace discrimination. This support cuts across political party affiliation, with 81% of Democrats, 74% of independents and 66% of Republicans supporting workplace nondiscrimination laws for LGBT people. ²- 

¹  April 2013 poll conducted by Public Policy Polling (PPP), one of the most accurate polling companies in the country.  http://bit.ly/13FDHRq

²  See more at: http://www.freedomtowork.org/?page_id=39#sthash.yJOZfeOx.dpuf

 
Equality Florida is the largest civil rights organization dedicated to securing full equality for Florida's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. www.eqfl.org

Nadine Smith, [email protected]