Florida politician faces backlash over calls for mass deportation of Indians

A city councilmember in Florida is facing backlash from national Indian American organizations, members of Congress, and local residents after posting a series of social media messages that insulted Indian people living in the US and called for them to be deported en masse. Chandler Langevin, a Palm Bay council member elected last year, made derogatory comments about Indian people across several posts on the social media platform X over roughly three weeks this fall. He claimed that Indians come to America to “drain our pockets” before returning to India, “or worse … to stay”. His remarks have sparked widespread anger. Since 29 September, residents along with regional and national Indian American groups have crowded Palm Bay city council meetings and demanded that he step down. On Thursday night, the council voted 3-2 to formally censure Langevin. During the meeting, Rob Medina, the mayor who also serves on the council, said: “We’re all overwhelmed by everything. This nation was founded on immigrants … We are all part of the very fabric of the flag, our banner, the United States of America.” Hindus for Human Rights, a national advocacy organization, released a letter calling the remarks “overtly bigoted, dehumanizing, and dangerous” and urged the Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, to suspend Langevin from his role. “If your office fails to act decisively, it sets a dangerous precedent: legitimizing hate speech by elected officials and normalizing hostility toward minority communities,” the letter added. The Asian American Hotel Owners Association also strongly condemned the remarks, saying during a council meeting earlier this month that they “echo some of history’s darkest rhetoric, drawing disturbing parallels to the language of hate that has led to violence and persecution around America”. Florida Republicans, such as Representative Mike Haridopolos and Senator Rick Scott, as well as several Democratic politicians, have also spoken out against Langevin’s comments. “The Brevard Republican Party does not condone or share Mr Chandler Langevin’s position with regard to the Indian community and culture here in our County,” Brevard county’s Republican party chair, Rick Lacey, said in a statement. “Even though Mr Langevin is a registered Republican, his views are his, and his alone.” Florida’s Democratic party chair, Nikki Fried, also released a statement, saying: “Chandler Langevin’s comments towards the Indian American community are vile and reprehensible. The people of Palm Bay deserve better leadership than someone who so proudly displays his hateful ignorance through divisive and racist rhetoric.” Speaking to the Washington Post earlier this week, Langevin said his intention was to spark “discourse” on immigration. “I’m not the first Republican to make a mean tweet,” he said.