Dear John,
I'm writing to update you on the disturbing push in Florida and Texas to impose bans on immigrants from Iran, China, Russia, and North Korea, barring them from owning land or purchasing property.
In Texas, Senate Bill SB147 [[link removed]] was passed by the State Senate on April 26, by a vote of 18 to 12. As we’ve previously shared, Florida's SB264/HB1355 [[link removed]] has already passed the State Senate and is advancing in the House.
If these property bans become law, they will cast a shadow of discrimination and ethnic profiling over Iranian Americans and many others, and risk encouraging government-sponsored housing discrimination against our community.
We are continuing our efforts to block these bills from passing in Florida, Texas, and the other states that have now introduced similar measures. But we must now act swiftly to prepare to block these discriminatory measures at the federal level as well as through legal means. We hope to have more to update you on soon in regard to these urgent efforts.
In response to these bills and in solidarity with our coalition [[link removed]] , Chinese American communities in Florida have organized joint rallies in 5 major cities, TOMORROW, April 29 at 11 AM . This will be the largest anti-racism movement in Florida history, and organizers are calling on people of all races and backgrounds to join. The rally locations are as follows:
Gainesville - NW 13th St & W University Ave, Gainesville, FL 32601

Jacksonville - Memorial Park, 1620 Riverside Ave, Jacksonville, FL 32204

Miami - Torch of Friendship, 301 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL 33126

Orlando - City Commons, 400 S. Orange Ave, Orlando, FL 32801

Tallahassee - 400 S Monroe St, Tallahassee, FL 32399


We encourage you to participate in these rallies or to share this information with family and friends in Florida. Together, we can stand against these discriminatory bills and fight for the rights of all immigrants. If you can’t participate, we encourage you to donate so we can continue to support this work. Donate [[link removed]]
Thank you for your attention and support.
Sincerely,
Myriam Sabbaghi, National Organizing Manager, NIAC
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