City Commissioner Jeremy Matlow “Disgusted” by Gaines Street Arrests

In response to the arrests of more than 100 undocumented immigrants on Thursday at Tallahassee construction sites on Gaines Street, City Commissioner and mayoral candidate Jeremy Matlow stated on social media that he was “disgusted” by the actions taken by various law enforcement agencies.

Matlow stated, “Disgusted to see men in black ski masks pulling up to job sites and harassing people who showed up to put in a hard days work.

Media reports indicate that ICE officials use masks to protect their identities and the integrity of investigations. By concealing their faces, they can avoid being recognized by individuals they are investigating or working with, preventing them from becoming targets of harassment or violence.

The Leon County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that multiple people detained at the Gaines Street construction site are facing pending criminal charges.

Matlow also commented on the failure of the federal government to address the immigration issue.

Matlow stated, “The failure of the federal government to streamline immigration for working people is on full display and we are all expected to pay the price as the shockwaves ripple through our entire economy.”

Business leaders have recently urged the Trump administration to add more work visas amid fears of labor shortages created by the president’s enforcement of immigration laws.

“We need action, not rhetoric,” George Carrillo, the CEO of the Hispanic Construction Council, told Newsweek. “First, expand the H-2B visa program. The 62,000 visas available are laughably inadequate when industries like construction need between 700,000 and 900,000 workers to meet demand. Second, create work visa pathways for immigrant workers who have been holding our economy together for decades.”