Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried is joining other elected Democrats calling on Governor Ron DeSantis to loosen state residency requirements for undocumented farm workers who want COVID-19 vaccines.
"These people live in our state. Regardless of how they got here or why they’re here, they’re here in or state. And we have an obligation to care about everybody’s life equally." Recently, the Miami Herald reported that undocumented immigrants have been turned away from vaccination sites. Earlier this year, loose residency requirements made Florida a hotspot of so-called vaccine tourism. That drew a lot of criticism, leading to the residency requirements in the first place. Fried said the state can thread the needle on the two issues. "There are ways to tell the distinction between somebody flying in from Argentina and 15 to 30 women who have just come off the fields after a long day of work." She suggests the state set up vaccine sites close to agricultural areas. And work with community organizations to help them get their shots.
Fried Calls On Increased Vaccine Access For Undocumented Farmworkers
