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As Governor: Immigration

By the David Jolly for Governor campaign Published: 2026-05-21 Last updated: 2026-05-21
David Jolly on immigration as governor of Florida

Key moments

0:04

"As governor of Florida, we're going to return to celebrating the economic and cultural contributions of our immigrant community."

0:30

"I often say our current governor is not fighting crime. He's fighting a community."

0:45

"As governor, we're going to welcome the immigrant community, welcome the refugee, and celebrate the contributions to the state of Florida."

What this video covers

In this clip, David Jolly lays out how he would approach immigration as governor of Florida. It starts with a memory. Miami during the Mariel boatlift, when roughly 125,000 Cubans reached Florida in 1980 and South Florida transformed almost overnight.[1]

What is said

The argument is simple. This isn't about abandoning the rule of law. It's about who Florida is. Jolly says the current governor is fighting a community, not fighting crime. See the chapter at 0:30 for that line, and 0:45 for what he would do instead. His full immigration plan is on the Immigration issue page.

Transcript

Verified transcript of the video above.

0:04 As governor of Florida, we're going to return to celebrating the economic and cultural contributions of our immigrant community. Look, part of it is growing up in Miami during the Mariel boatlift in 1980. The city of Miami, the county, South Florida, transformed almost instantly. And for our little slice of the world, growing up in a fairly traditional English church, within six months we became a church hosting bilingual services and embracing the immigrant community.
0:30 But we've also seen the incredible contribution to culture and economy from our immigrant community. You know, I often say, I think our current governor is not fighting crime. He's fighting a community. And as governor, we're simply going to reverse that. As governor, we're going to welcome the immigrant community, welcome the refugee, and celebrate the contributions, economically and culturally, to the state of Florida.

Related questions

What does Jolly mean by "values before policies" on immigration?

His framing: the policies are easy if we can decide on the values. Most immigration debates collapse into yelling about specific provisions because the underlying values are contested. Agree first that immigrants are welcomed, that families deserve due process, that economic and cultural contributions are real. Then border security, compassionate reform, and a pathway to legal status all become solvable. See the video at 0:04 for how he grounds this in Florida's own history.

Does Jolly oppose immigration enforcement entirely?

No. His position is narrower than that. Whether you're native born, an immigrant, or a Tallahassee politician, breaking the law means accountability. What he pushes against is enforcement used to disrupt communities that were already working, paying taxes, and sending kids to school. In 2025, federal immigration arrests in Florida totaled 20,629, and 36% of June arrests involved people with no criminal history.[2] That's the line the video draws at 0:30.

Do immigrant communities really have lower crime rates?

Yes. Analysis of Census data found that among the 1990 birth cohort, 11% of native born Americans had been incarcerated by age 33, compared with only 3% of immigrants.[3] The framing that immigration is Florida's greatest threat is contradicted by the data.

Why does Jolly invoke Miami and the Mariel boatlift?

Because it's proof of concept. The Mariel boatlift brought roughly 125,000 Cubans to Florida between April and October 1980, with processing at the Miami Orange Bowl.[1] Jolly grew up there. His argument: South Florida already knows how to welcome refugees and build a thriving immigrant anchored economy. The video opens with this story at 0:04.

More on this topic

OverviewImmigration In depthVoices on the Trail - Immigration In depthWhat are David Jolly's values on welcoming immigrants and refugees? In depthWhy are immigrant communities being torn apart by ICE raids? In depthHow will David Jolly treat immigrant communities as governor?

Sources

  1. U.S. National Archives, Cuban Refugees, https://www.archives.gov/research/cuban-refugees · 1980-10-31
  2. WUSF (Deportation Data Project) , https://www.wusf.org/politics-issues/2026-03-10/who-did-ice-arrest-in-florida-last-year · 2026-03-10
  3. Cato Institute , https://www.cato.org/blog/immigrants-have-lower-lifetime-incarceration-rates-native-born-americans · 2025-04-01

This isn't about abandoning the law. It's about who Florida is.

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