The cost of ICE trauma in Orange County is too high

Op ed by Jill Heroux - Reprint - Orlando Sentinel OPINION SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2026

Our Central Florida community is being torn apart by ICE. This unjust disruption is imposing far-reaching and long-lasting costs on our community. Residents are frightened, isolated and looking for leadership. Orange County elected officials the power to push back, ensuring all people here feel safe and neighborhoods thrive.

The escalation of ICE activity has created a chilling effect. The cost in terms of trauma to people is immeasurable. Families remain trapped in their homes, local businesses lose customers, and school attendance has dropped sharply, with school closures being discussed. The anxiety isn’t limited to immigrants. Non-immigrant children fear coming home and finding their parents have disappeared. Anxiety and depression are palpable among citizenry and immigrants alike.

Trust in local institutions is broken. When law enforcement — from local police to Fish and Wildlife officers — are deputized as ICE agents, the public faith in them evaporates and leaves communities vulnerable. Deceptive tactics used to lure people to detain them makes everyone feel less safe. When people fear calling for help, the entire community’s security suffers. This is another cost to the community.

Constitutional rights are guaranteed to everyone, regardless of status. Due process violations occur routinely; policies undermine basic rights and human dignity. Because the Supreme Court allows “perceived race” or “accents” as grounds for reasonable suspicion, a staggering 57.3% of Orange County residents (34.9% Hispanic and 22.4% Black) are potential ICE targets. Documented immigrants have been wrongly detained and deported. Even U.S. citizens have been arrested and jailed. The entire county is on edge. Another cost to the community.

Advocates have fought for a year just to ensure transparency at the Orange County jail, where detainees on ICE holds were scrubbed from public records. Families have been distraught because they could not locate their loved one. ICE also used revolving-door tactics of removing a detainee at the end of their 72-hour hold, and then returning them to restart the clock, often under a new detention number. County leaders have responded to the information presented, but it has been a hard-fought advocacy process for due process and transparency (“After record January, number of ICE detainees in Orange County jail plummets in February,” March 1). The cost to the families and the community is too high to measure.

The last cost to mention is in dollars lost to the taxpayers. This has come up as a first cost in the conversation with ICE, rather than the trauma to the community. The Sentinel has documented the fiscal deficit of housing ICE detainees in the Orange County Jail. Another fiscal liability for the county is the habeas corpus cases that are being won in court. They are open to suits being filed. But the cost in terms of human lives torn apart, families destroyed, constitutional rights being ignored and anxiety to an entire county is far greater than the financial cost.

Our county leaders must be courageous in questioning their obligation to participate in ICE agreements. They need to be guided by values that count the cost in terms of human lives and community peace of mind into highest consideration. The voice of the people needs to be heard and respected. Fear in leadership has no place here. They need to do everything within their power to limit, to the greatest extent possible, the cost of these traumas to our community. Rather than comply in advance, they need to get clarification on their legal obligations. Our community deserves leaders who stand up and act courageously on their behalf, even when faced with threats from the state.

Jill Heroux is a retired mental-health professional and a co-chair of the Immigration Committee for the League of Women Voters of Orange County.

These Conflicts Are Not Separate. They Are Connected.

By Kamalakar (Kam Shenai)

Turn on the news and it feels like the world is facing multiple crises at once.

There is war in Ukraine.

Violence in Gaza.

Rising tensions involving Iran.

And growing concern in the Taiwan Strait. 

At first glance, these seem like separate problems. Different regions. Different histories. Different players.

But they are more connected than they appear.

Each conflict pulls attention, resources, and leadership focus. When one crisis intensifies, it limits how much time, energy, and capacity can be directed elsewhere. This creates openings for other tensions to grow.

This is not about conspiracy. It is about how competing priorities work in a complex world. When attention shifts, opportunities emerge.

There is also a direct impact on everyday life here at home.

Tensions involving Iran can disrupt global energy markets. While the United States produces a significant amount of its own oil, global prices are still set by worldwide supply and demand. When supply risks rise, prices can increase. That affects the cost of gas, transportation, and goods.

A crisis in the Taiwan Strait could disrupt one of the world’s busiest shipping routes and a key hub for advanced semiconductor production. That would affect supply chains for electronics, automobiles, and many everyday products.

These are not distant problems. They can show up in household budgets.

Here is a simple example.

If tensions in the Middle East push oil prices higher, gas prices in the United States often rise as well. Higher fuel costs increase the cost of transporting goods. That can lead to higher prices at the grocery store.



At the same time, if tensions in the Taiwan Strait disrupt shipping or production, delays and shortages can affect everything from phones to car parts. Businesses face higher costs and pass some of those costs on to consumers.

When both happen together, the effect is compounded. Families can end up paying more for gas, food, and everyday goods—all at once.

What begins as distant geopolitical tension becomes a real financial pressure at home.

So, what role does the electorate play in all of this?

At first glance, it may seem limited. Foreign policy decisions are complex and often made far from everyday voters.

But in a democracy, public attention, and priorities matter.

If voters focus only on global crises, domestic issues like affordability, healthcare, and education can lose visibility. If voters disengage entirely, decisions happen with less public scrutiny.

The balance is not easy—but it is essential.

The role of the citizens is not to become foreign policy experts. It is to remain informed, thoughtful, and engaged.

That starts with asking basic but important questions:

What is the objective?

What are the costs—financial and human?

How long might this last?

What does success look like?

These questions help bring clarity to complex situations.

It also requires connecting global events to local impact.

When prices rise or supply chains are strained, these are not always isolated economic issues. They are often linked to events beyond our borders. Recognizing that connection helps voters better understand the choices facing policymakers.

It also shapes expectations of leadership.

In moments like this, public discussion can become dominated by quick reactions and strong rhetoric. But voters can influence the tone by valuing clarity, consistency, and long-term thinking.

Democracy responds to what people reward.

At the same time, it is important not to lose sight of everyday realities.

Global stability matters. But so do the basics—cost of living, healthcare, education, and opportunity. These priorities are not separate. They are connected.

The challenge for voters is to keep both in view.

Connecting the dots is not just an idea. It is a civic responsibility.

Because once we see how these issues are linked, it becomes easier to ask better questions, expect clearer answers, and make more informed decisions.

The world may feel complicated. But the role of the electorate remains steady.

Stay engaged.

Ask questions.

Focus on what matters.

And connect what is happening abroad to what is happening at home.

A final question to consider:

Are we, as voters, seeing these events as isolated crises—or as part of a bigger picture that should shape how we think and vote?

Authors Bio

Kam Shenai is Co-Founder of AAPI Coming Together (ACT Florida). He holds an MS from UC Berkeley and an MBA from RIT. Previously VP Marketing Operations Xerox North America and CCO at Sutherland Global Services; he currently serves as Chair of the Myrtle Creek District Board and on the Board of Trustees for UCF Lake Nona Hospital. He is a patient advocate with the National Kidney Foundation. Kam is also a member of the League of Women Voters of Orange County.

The Social Security cut no one is talking about

Reprinted from Orlando Sentinel, JAN 2

Over the holidays, I sat down with my 20-year-old grandniece, a college sophomore full of plans for her future. As we talked about careers and her future, she grew serious. “By the time we get to your age,” she said, “Social Security will be gone — and nobody even talks about it.”

She was right. That conversation convinced me it’s time to explain this supposedly “complicated” issue in plain English.

Here’s the reality: under current law, Social Security’s trust funds are projected to run out in 2035 — just nine years from now. Those trust funds are savings built up over time. Once they’re gone, Social Security doesn’t disappear — but it can only pay benefits using money coming in from workers’ paychecks.

That would cover about 81% of promised benefits. In simple terms, that means an automatic 19% cut for everyone who relies on Social Security — retirees, people with disabilities, surviving spouses and children. No vote in Congress would be required.



The system is already under strain. In 2024, Social Security’s reserves fell by about $65 billion, leaving roughly $2.8 trillion remaining. For several years now, the program has paid out more than it takes in, steadily draining those savings.

For the average retiree receiving about $1,927 a month, it would mean losing roughly $366 every month — more than $4,300 a year. For many, that’s the difference between getting by and falling behind.

Why is this happening? Two simple reasons.

First, demographics. Baby Boomers are retiring in large numbers, people are living longer, and fewer workers are paying in.

Second, the way we fund Social Security. In 2025, Social Security taxes apply only to wages up to $176,100. Earnings above that aren’t taxed for Social Security. When the system was last fixed in 1983, that cap covered about 90% of wages. Today, it covers closer to 82%, because income at the top has grown much faster than everyone else’s.

Here’s the part that matters most: Social Security can be fixed if we choose to act.

We’ve done it before. In 1983, President Ronald Reagan and House Speaker Tip O’Neill — a Republican and a Democrat — came together to strengthen Social Security and extend its solvency for decades. They made tough choices.

We can do this again, but only if both sides are willing to give. Republicans must accept that more revenue is part of the solution, especially from those who can afford it. Democrats must accept that benefits and retirement ages need adjusting to match demographic reality. Both can protect what matters most: a functioning Social Security system.

My grandniece will likely pay hundreds of thousands of dollars into Social Security over her lifetime. She deserves to know the system will still be there when she needs it.

So, here’s the ask. Talk about this openly. Ask candidates what they plan to do before 2035. Ask your representatives to act now, while fixes can still be gradual. This isn’t a distant problem for “other people.” It affects parents, grandparents and young workers paying in today.

We still have time. But only if we choose to use it.

Kam Shenai

Shenai co-founded Asian Pacific Islanders Coming Together (ACT), grassroots, nonpartisan organization focused on increasing voter participation and amplifying AAPI voices. The U.S. House of Representatives honored him as a distinguished leader during Asian AAPI Heritage Month for his contributions to the AAPI community in Central Florida.

The Future is Calling-And Young America Holds the Answer

Kam Shenai | Published on 12/19/2025

Originally published in FLAAPP (Florida Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders for Progress)

By Kam Shenai, Co-Founder, ACT Florida

For decades, the story of American politics has been shaped by older generations—by their participation, their priorities, and their sheer consistency at the voting booth. But a historic shift has already taken place, quietly and powerfully: Millennials and Gen Z together have become 48.5% of the nation’s eligible voters, surpassing Baby Boomers and transforming the demographic reality of the United States.

In raw numbers, young Americans now are the electorate. They are the most diverse, globally connected, technologically fluent, and socially conscious generations in recent times They care deeply about issues that shape the long-term trajectory of the nation: national debt, climate resilience, economic stability, affordable education, and the promise of a fairer society.

But in politics, numbers alone don’t translate into influence. Turnout does.

And here lies the defining gap of our era. In the 2024 election, voters under 44 turned out at only 58%. Meanwhile, voters 44 and older reached 72% turnout, continuing the pattern of older Americans outvoting younger ones in every modern election. Seniors routinely achieve 70%+ turnout, election after election. That consistency gives them electoral power far beyond their demographic share.

This turnout gap doesn’t just affect who wins elections—it affects what gets prioritized in Congress. The 119th Congress reflects this imbalance: with an average age of 58.9 and only one Gen Z member, the body making decisions about national debt, healthcare reform, immigration, climate, affordability education, and the next fifty years of policy is almost entirely composed of people who will not experience those long-term consequences.

But here’s the extraordinary part—this imbalance is not structural. And it’s not inevitable. Young Americans don’t need a constitutional amendment. They don’t need permission. They simply need to show up.

If Millennials and Gen Z matched the turnout rates of Baby Boomers and older voters, American politics would change immediately and dramatically. Elections at every level—from local school boards to the presidency—would reflect the priorities of a rising generation that is already the nation’s majority. Policymakers would no longer be able to ignore the real issues like national debt, healthcare reform, climate risks, affordability, or the demands of a rapidly changing workforce. Representation would shift. Agendas would shift. The national conversation would shift.

This isn’t wishful thinking. It’s plain math.

Young Americans have already won the demographic battle. The only battle left is turnout. And the moment that gap closes—even slightly—America’s political landscape will be reshaped by the generations who will live longest with the consequences of today’s choices.

The future isn’t something distant or abstract. It isn’t waiting for permission to arrive. It is here—and it is ready for Millennials and Gen Z to claim.

All that’s needed now is the simplest act in a democracy: Show up. Vote. Lead.

Kam Shenai

Shenai co-founded Asian Pacific Islanders Coming Together (ACT), grassroots, nonpartisan organization focused on increasing voter participation and amplifying AAPI voices. The U.S. House of Representatives honored him as a distinguished leader during Asian AAPI Heritage Month for his contributions to the AAPI community in Central Florida.

Mobile shelters on buses: the right thing to do

By Judi Hayes, longtime Leaguer

Letter to Editor, Orlando Sentinel MAR 27



It’s sad yet entirely predictable that some of the same loud voices leading the “Stop the SoDo Shelter” movement that chased a feasible homeless shelter out of downtown Orlando are now also complaining about the dignity buses (“Orlando approves ‘407 Connect’ homeless shelter buses,” March 25).

Let’s learn a lesson from that, shall we? The city needs to act to provide resources for the unsheltered among us without caving to the selfish bullies insisting on callous disregard. It was never about the location, they don’t want help for our vulnerable neighbors in anyone’s backyard. We should do it anyway, because it’s the right thing to do.

Don't destroy citizen initiative

By Charley Williams

Former LWVOC President

Orlando Sentinel Repost, MAR 22, 2025

Thank you, Orlando Sentinel reporter Jeffrey Schweers and your Editorial Board, for shining a light on the proposed roadblocks to Florida’s long-standing citizen initiative process.

This assault on citizen initiatives raises the recurring question: Whose government is it anyway? Hint: it starts with “We the People.”

The initiative process lies at the heart of grassroots citizen tradition. You have the right to petition your government. Sound familiar? It should. It’s enshrined in our U.S. Constitution.

The initiative petition became law in Florida’s landmark 1968 Constitution. Since then, voters have used initiatives for sweeping improvements to our state.

In 2010, the Florida League of Women Voters supported ballot initiatives Amendment 9 and 10 to provide baseline standards for drawing congressional and state legislative district boundaries. The intent: to end partisan gerrymandering. Both amendments

passed with more than the 60% required threshold.

Another example is the 2014 ballot initiative to fund Florida Forever at respectable levels— for land conservation preservation and acquisitions. That amendment was hugely popular, passing with 75%.

Over the years, the Orange County League of Women Voters has defended this right of citizens to shape their government. We encourage our Tallahassee elected officials to leave the initiative process unchanged. It has served Floridians well.

There is no need to preempt or muzzle the citizen voice. Can we suggest this Legislature try a different tact and find ways to enhance voters’ voices?

It could pay dividends at future district town halls and on Election Day.



CJ Williams Winter Park

CJ Williams is the past president of the League of Women Voters of Orange County.

The unsheltered are not the problem

by Jane Hursh, LWVOC Board Member

Orlando Sentinel Repost, MAR 22, 2025

A bright hope for the Central Florida community to begin to alleviate the growing numbers of unsheltered neighbors was snuffed out last week by the city of Orlando.

Why? Because those who live in SoDo who showed up to oppose the plan were concerned that a homeless shelter might create greater hardships for their community. The thing is, the existing building had already been a work-release center for… wait for it… actual criminals.

With the loss of this option for adding more shelter beds, the region’s quest to solve homelessness is losing ground. There is talk of utilizing mobile, Greyhound-size buses that sleep 20 people. The city must still approve this. And while “brilliant in its simplicity,” according to Eric Gray, CEO of the Christian Service Center, it’s still not a permanent fix.

It’s time to shift our thinking, says Martha Are, CEO/Central Florida Commission on Homelessness and the Homeless Services Network of Central Florida. Are was a panelist at the March 12 “Hot Topics” Forum, sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Orange County.

It’s not those who are experiencing homelessness who are criminals, the panelists said. It is the unlivable hourly wages and dismal housing market in Central Florida that are the culprits. And the numbers prove it. Are says the average $13 hourly wage is only a fraction of what is necessary to live.

These two egregious realities keep people in rental situations too long (if they can afford to stay), creating a backlog of the need for affordable rentals. Affordable entry-level homes are not adequate, either. Are warns that a family already spending half of its wages on housing cannot absorb a rent increase of even $100 (usually more).

For context, last year’s Point in Time count (2024) found the number of unsheltered people in the Orange/Seminole/Osceola tri-county area was up by 105% (Homeless Services Network of Central Florida).

Even more stark, those results from that most recent PIT survey may understate the problem. This measurement seeks to identify and account for each person experiencing homelessness, with teams interviewing people across the Central Florida community. This year’s count was hampered by the threat of arrest. People are hiding because a new state law, enacted at the start of this year, demands people be arrested if found to be camping on public property.

More families are being squeezed out of rental housing and onto the streets or into their cars. And the new law forces families to keep moving. They cannot afford an arrest, and the fear of DCF (Department of Children and Families) taking away their children is very, very real.

Being pushed out of a stable home disrupts childhood learning and mental health. Zeynep Portway, Executive Director of the Samaritan Resource Center, also reported to the League that families will often just move around in their original neighborhood so the children can remain in school.

Heartbreaking? Without question. Criminal behavior? Hardly.

And this number is growing. Approximately 40% of Central Florida’s residents who are experiencing homelessness are under the age of 18 or over 55.

Are’s suggestion? Provide smaller, subsidized housing units with fewer beds and disperse them all over the community. She believes this would not just alleviate the unhoused numbers but would also allow families to remain in their neighborhoods for stability. Isn’t that safer for everyone?

It can take up to an entire year to get funding from various sources. As a result, our unhoused numbers increase significantly during delays for larger, multi-family projects.

Mark Brewer, President and CEO of the Central Florida Foundation, views homelessness as a dilemma, not a problem solved with a single action.

If we’re serious about alleviating the situation, it’s going to have to involve all of us, in every neighborhood. The Sentinel’s editorial suggestion to reconsider (“Orlando leaders, please don’t extinguish hopes for SoDo District facility,” March 16) is heartening. But if we continue to say “no,” when our “yes” could improve the lives, well being, and overall health of our entire community, that will be the real crime.



Jane Hursh is a member of the board of directors of the League of Women Voters of Orange County.

We will never give up on America

By Linda Chapin

Linda was Orange County Mayor 1990-1998 and is a lifetime League member and was LWVOC President 1976-1978

Orlando Sentinel Repost



In these times when we find it difficult to look ahead with any degree of certainty, it can be a diversion to look back, instead.

In doing so I’ve realized, to my surprise, that I was living through America’s best years.

I can’t claim to remember a great deal about the Second World War, but as my mother and I stayed in Jacksonville with my grandparents while my father was overseas, I think I absorbed some of the climate of those years: of scarcity but solidarity, of fears and evening radio broadcasts, but above all of resilience and a deep sense that we were all in this together, even across the globe.

And in the years that followed, it seemed to a child that America was filled with sunshine. In long summer days, my friends and I could leave the house with peanut butter and jelly or bologna sandwiches in the baskets of our bicycles, and the only restriction laid down was to be home for dinner or before dark, whichever came first.

For adults, the postwar years were a time of optimism and rebuilding. A brisk economy and full employment provided upward mobility and a secure place in the middle class for many. Neighborhoods were growing, and families were putting down roots. With the Marshall Plan rebuilding Europe and an open and free trade policy, America was leading the world.

While our country in the ’50s demonstrated its typical characteristics of energy and vitality, John and Jackie Kennedy added elegance and a sense of culture and sophistication. People around the world were impressed and grieved with us when Camelot was cut so tragically short.

The man from Texas, Lyndon Baines Johnson, whom so many of us had questioned and mistrusted as vice president, surprised us with a wellspring of great social progress. His initiatives aimed to eliminate poverty, and many of his policies shaped America and remain with us today. The Civil Rights Act, Medicare and Medicaid, food stamps, Head Start and so many more reassured us that our country was secure enough to show compassion to the less fortunate.

But no leader is perfect, and LBJ’s record was marred by the escalating war in Vietnam.

Nostalgia can soften the edges of history, and a child might not have realized the injustices that remained in too many parts of the country, but with my college years came the awareness of much work to be done. Those were the times when young people, filled with idealism, set out to address those wrongs, believing that change was not only critical but within our reach. Protests against the war and a commitment to the civil rights movement all shaped my generation. We debated, we marched, we challenged authority, not always wisely, but with the conviction that we could make a difference.

And slowly, change came about. The gay liberation movement brought dignity and self-realization and eventually legal changes to benefit a formerly marginalized population. The fight for women’s equality and a desire to be full participants in America’s civic and political life gained momentum, and we saw it at the local level right here in Central Florida.

Progress wasn’t easy, but it was exciting and exhilarating. Each movement helped shape America’s vision of itself as more just, more inclusive, and more aligned with its original ideals.

The fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union left Europe largely unified, and the United States encouraged an agreed-upon international order that promoted democracy, global cooperation and free markets.

Our generosity as a nation extended to those who suffered in other parts of the world, even as millions of people were lifted from abject poverty. It seemed that benefits were all around us. In Central Florida, Disney World was firmly established, Universal Studios on the way, and our new airport was filled with visitors. Suddenly Orlando was on the map, not just “five hours from Miami.” What a sense of optimism we felt!

I don’t overlook remaining political debates, the conflict in the Balkans, the Challenger tragedy and above all the terrible morning of Sept. 11. These latter events are imprinted in all our memories and will be forever: “Where were you when…”

But even the hard times seemed to bring us together in a spirit of unity. And when Barack Obama was elected president of the United States, we rejoiced… too soon… that our long national nightmare of racism was over. When did that optimism begin to fade? Surely with grinding wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Possibly with a growing resentment from some that “diversity, equity and inclusion” were not ideals to be promoted but impediments to those who formerly controlled the narrative. Surely with growing economic gaps between hard-working families and the super-rich.

And today that conviction that the future held unlimited promise and a better life for all seems to have vanished. The American Dream of opportunity feels out of reach for too many of us. Dissension, division and disunity are the order of the day. We will never give up on America. Instead, we hope for better news and better days ahead.

Vote by Mail

"Don’t forget to request mail ballots from election supervisors this week"

By Gina Hall, Voter Services Co-chair

Orlando Sentinel Repost

Nancy Albright is a passionate American citizen who cherishes her right to vote. But, since she now walks with a walker and cannot drive, it’s quite a chore to get to her Winter Park voting booth.

“I used to love going to vote,” she says. “But now, thank heavens, I can use Vote by Mail. It’s a welcomed necessity for me and many others that allows us to vote with independence and dignity.”

As soon as she mailed in her ballot for last November’s election, Albright renewed her Vote by Mail status, which she knew would expire Dec. 31.And then she wrote 500 postcards urging others to renew, too. A reminder is helpful, because the changed law apparently confused some voters: In 2020, 40 percent of Orange County voters used vote-by-mail, versus only 22 percent in 2024, according to the Orange County Supervisor of Elections office.

Be like Nancy Albright. If you want to vote by mail, now is the time to renew your Vote by Mail status with your Supervisor of Elections (SOE).

In Orange County, be sure your SOE receives your request before Feb. 27, if you want to vote by mail in the March 11 local elections in Belle Isle, Maitland, Ocoee, Windermere and Winter Park. Orange County residents can renew through their Supervisor of Elections, at ocfelections.com. Beyond Orange County, other Florida counties have SOEs, too.

You have other options to vote in Orange County, of course, including same-day voting in your precinct and early voting at specific sites, all detailed on the Supervisor of Elections website or by phone.

If you thought you didn’t need to renew vote-by-mail again this year, you have a lot of company with other similarly confused would-be voters. Many people don’t know that their Vote by Mail reservation was deleted Dec. 31, 2024, after the general election, thanks to a 2021 change in Florida law. And, despite the popularity of mail-in balloting, the voting numbers took a huge dive after the new law required voters to renew every two years. If some legislator intended to suppress the vote with the 2021 law, it’s working.

In Orange County, in 2020, before the change in the state law, 40% of voters signed up for ballots; after the state law, that number dropped to 22%, according to Scott Hottenstein, director of outreach and education for the Orange County Supervisor of Elections. Of those who request Vote by Mail ballots, 93% follow through to vote. “So, if you request a Vote by Mail ballot, you are going to vote,” Hottenstein said.



The Florida association of supervisors of elections is advocating a change in the law again to make it easier for people to vote by mail.

“There’s no reason for it to expire after two years,” says the Rev. Kathy Schmitz, president of the Orange County League of Women Voters. “That just adds another barrier for our voters, and we’re all about removing barriers to voting.

“People are confused about why the Legislature would make it harder for people to vote,” she said. “Vote-by-mail is a really convenient way to vote. It’s secure and safe, and it ensures that people who have busy lives can vote, even if they aren’t always available on a Tuesday.”

“If you sign up for vote by mail, you may still vote in person,” said Scott Hottenstein of the SOE office.

“In the 2024 general election, 90 percent of voters who requested VBM and voted, voted by mail. And 1 out of 10 VBM voters voted in person.”

Gina Hall is co-chair of the Voter Services Committee of

the League of Women Voters of Orange County.

A Call for Compassion and Action

Written by Joanie Schirm | Orlando Sentinel Repost

When I recently, like the rest of America, heard the soft-spoken voice of Mariann Budde, the Episcopal Bishop of Washington, from the pulpit of the Washington National Cathedral, ask President Trump to “have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now,” I felt my heart leap. When the Bishop reminded us that “the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals but good neighbors and faithful members of religious communities,” I was struck by how vital it is to carry this truth in our minds and hearts.

I felt hopeful that her words would ignite a heart-filled outpouring of support across the nation, with religious leaders, law enforcement, and other critical voices speaking up for the importance of immigrants to the fabric of our country. But instead, primarily crickets.

As an author, I view myself as a curious wanderer through the landscapes of history, family, and the human spirit. My writing often weaves personal experiences with larger narratives, encouraging readers to reflect, connect and discover. I draw deeply from the well of my family’s history, marked by resilience, loss, and survival across continents and generations.

At the core of my recent work is my Czech Jewish father’s incredible escape from Nazi-occupied Europe to the tenuous refuge of China — a desperate journey shared by thousands of others seeking safety. His survival, contrasted with the heartbreaking loss of over forty relatives, including his parents and grandmother who perished in the Holocaust, has shaped my understanding of the fragility of freedom and the strength of the human spirit.

My father’s story also highlights the responsibility that comes with the privilege of safety. After finding a new life in America — a country that once hesitated to embrace Jewish refugees — my father dedicated his life as a family doctor to helping others. He and my mother opened their hearts and homes to people in need, including a Cuban family fleeing violence. Their example taught me that our shared humanity demands kindness, empathy, and action. Bishop Budde’s words resonated deeply with me, a daughter of a refugee who owes her very existence to America’s willingness to welcome him.

Unfortunately, immigration reform in America has long been sidelined by Congress, used as little more than a political football. While I believe we all can agree that violent crimes — whether committed by citizens or migrants — demand swift enforcement of the law, our inability to craft a comprehensive immigration policy has left millions of lives in limbo and weakened our nation’s moral standing. Partisan gridlock is to blame.

For instance, in 2013, a bipartisan group of senators known as the “Gang of Eight” introduced the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act. It passed the Senate with overwhelming support (68-32) but was never taken up by the House. The legislation died, not because of its content but because of political gamesmanship. A similar story unfolded in the 2024 U.S. Congress, with then-former President Donald Trump killing a bipartisan Senate bill that didn’t make it out of the House.

Today, we find ourselves trapped in the same cycle. Whether it’s then-President Joe Biden’s proposed reforms or Trump’s campaign promises, comprehensive immigration reform is repeatedly blocked by those more concerned with wielding power than solving problems.

We deserve better. Immigrants deserve better. America deserves better.

I urge our leaders to rise above the partisan fray and craft legislation that honors our nation’s legacy as a beacon of hope and opportunity. We need reforms that secure our borders, enforce our laws, and uphold the values of compassion and fairness that define us as Americans.



Immigration is not just about politics; it’s about people like my father, whose contributions to his adopted country were immeasurable. It’s about the millions of families who enrich our communities, strengthen our economy, and remind us of the extraordinary power of the human spirit to overcome hardship.

Let us not allow fear and division to dictate our policies. Instead, let us remember Bishop Budde’s call for mercy and action. It’s time to demand that Congress stop playing politics with people’s lives and pass comprehensive immigration reform that reflects the best of who we are as a nation.

The heart of America beats the strongest when it beats for others. Let us not forget that.

Joanie Holzer Schirm is an Orlando writer and community activist.

5 things I can do now for democracy

By Ann Patton, Communications Coordinator

Orlando Sentinel, Op Ed



In a time of political turmoil, such as today, many of us are asking: What can I do now for

democracy?

Here’s my thought on five things I can do now.

1.Find the heroes and give them my support.

When I peer out from my occasional moments of despair, I see there are heroes everywhere.

They give me hope.

Some are leaders doing big things. Some are working in groups, such as the League of Women Voters of Orange County. And many are just everyday folk stoking the essential fires of life, working against the odds, in whatever circumstance they find themselves.

It can be lonely, even dangerous, out there on the hero circuit. And we all love to criticize more than we like to praise. Maybe an occasional token of my appreciation might help some warrior: a little donation to a leader, a volunteer hour to a nonprofit, a word of thanks to anybody making life better.

These heroes inspire me and, perhaps, give me strength in case life someday challenges me to leave my safe zone and speak up for what I believe.

2. Renew my vote-by-mail ballot.

I want to be ready to exercise and secure my precious right to vote. Orange County will hold local elections right away, in February and March, in Windermere, Ocoee, Winter Park, Belle Isle and Maitland.

We have several choices when we vote, including my personal favorite, vote by mail. According to recent Florida law, vote-by-mail requests expire after each federal general election cycle, which means all vote-by-mail requests, including mine, expired on Dec. 31, 2024.

If I want to continue voting by mail — which I do — I need to submit a new vote-by-mail request now so I can continue to vote in this safe, convenient way over the coming elections. I can request my updated ballot by phone, mail, or online from my local Supervisor of Elections, in my case ocfelections.com. Takes less than 5 minutes.

3. Guard my trusted sources of accurate information.

In tough times, it’s tempting to try to hide from the news. But in fact, if we are responsible citizens of a democracy, we need to understand what’s happening in fair weather and foul.

Today, in a historic age of purposeful disinformation, it’s no small task to find accurate information — essential elements of a free society. Are we prisoners of somebody’s algorithm?

We can choose our information sources carefully. Do they follow long-established journalistic practices? Are they fully transparent, so we know where they get their information and funding? Do they have a record of truth-telling, whether in straight news or editorial opinions — and do they honor the difference?

And when I choose my information diet, how can I support it? As I can afford, that means paying for subscriptions, speaking up to support my trusted sources and occasionally offering my thanks for their excellent work. (Thank you, Orlando Sentinel.)

4. Do something to help somebody who needs it.

Our world offers no shortage of people who need a hand now and then, and some are at particular risk right now. Perhaps I can find some small way to help them, knowing that in a time of turmoil, some acts may bear a political cost.

I can reach out and help somebody, whether individually or through some helping group, such as the local Hope CommUnity Center that supports farm workers.

Democracy functions best when we help each other. And seizing a little chance to help others invariably makes me feel that life is worth living.

5. Take care of my personal support circle.

Now more than ever, we need each other. I am blessed to have a magnificent support circle of thoughtful friends and family, mutually dedicated to preserving democracy. If you don’t have such a support group, find one, and make mutual support a priority.

My small contributions may be no more than grains of sand; but, together, we may ride the waves of turbulent seas and help shore up the foundation of our priceless democracy.

Ann Patton is an Orlando-based writer and author of several local history books on social justice issues.

Fight for DEIA to help those with disabilities

By Marilyn Baldwin, DEIA Co-chair

Orlando Sentinel letter to editor

We must fight to keep the DEIA (diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility) programs for people with disabilities. Accessibility and employment matter and will positively impact our diverse DEIA community and our entire community. Please help us work to give people with disabilities the quality of life that we deserve with employment opportunities and accessible accommodations, so that we can live independently with dignity in our local communities.

I am an African American citizen with a disability living in our local Central Florida community. I am legally blind, with limited vision and hearing loss, and a degree from Florida’s Bethune-Cookman University. Because of the Americans with Disabilities Act and a wonderful employer, I was able to work for years as a productive, tax-paying employee in local government. And now, I am able to assume a leadership role as co-chair of the DEIA Committee of the League of Women Voters of Orange County.

Without DEIA, I and others in my situation would likely have spent our years struggling to rise above dependency on others and perhaps on American taxpayers.

The Americans with Disabilities Act and other DEIA programs helped make the journey to independence possible for me and countless others. I want to ensure that all people with disabilities like me have the same opportunities that I had for employment in jobs that they are qualified to hold.

Marilyn Baldwin is co-chair of the DEIA Committee of the League of Women Voters of

Orange County.