In recent years, hundreds of immigrants had come to Florida as immigration had increased under the former President. Joe Biden,
In OrlandoNon -residents settled throughout the region. They found work in rapidly growing construction industry, as well as agriculture, transportation, utilities and manufacturing. Many work in restaurants and hotels and as taxi drivers. Some started their own businesses.
Paola Fights and her husband were attracted to the Orlando region by hot temperatures, a large Latin community and ease of finding employment and housing. Fights and her husband ran away in violence Columbia With his three children. After entering the US in 2024, they moved to an agricultural city of Apopka near Orlando, where they rented a mobile house from their sister -in -law.
“We were looking for freedom here, to work. We do not like to be given nothing for free,” the Fights said, who asked that the Associated Press identifies her mother’s middle and second last name for fear of safety in Colombia.
He requested the shelter and received the work permits. He is now a housekeeper at a hotel in Orlando, a tourist destination with more than a dozen theme parks, including the Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando and Civild. Her husband works in a plant nursery.
According to the internal government data obtained by the AP, no state has been affected more by an increase in immigrants compared to Florida. There were 1,271 migrants in Florida who came to every 100,000 residents from May 2023 to January 2025, followed by New York, California, Texas and Illinois.
The data of US Customs and Border Protection, which should verify everyone’s address, which is allowed to stay to enter the US and pursue the immigration case, show Miami For each 100,000 residents, 2,191 was the most affected metropolitan area in the US with new migrants. Orlando ranks 10th with 1,499 new migrants for each 100,000 residents.
CBP data received US destinations obtained by AP for 2.5 million migrants, who crossed the border.
As soon as more immigrants arrived in Orlando, catering businesses for new arrival in shopping areas with Mexican and Puerto Ricon shops. Venezuela’s restaurants sell Empanadus and Arepus, which was opened in the same plaza as a Mexican supermarket that offers tacos and anchilladus. The churches started offering more mass in Spanish and Craol, which is called Hitian.
As the population increased, apartments, shopping centers, offices and warehouses replaced many orange trees and forests, once surrounded Orlando.
Louis, an aspiring entrepreneur with a degree in mechanical engineering, fled to Venezuela after being an opposition political activist as a university student. He was awarded a long -term work permit, allowing him to support himself as Amazon delivery driver as he undergoes a legal refuge process. He only asked to be identified by his first name as he is afraid of his parents’ safety in Venezuela.
After the president Donald Trump Returned to the office in January, anxiety spread through many immigrant communities. The Republican -led state Florida has worked to help the Trump administration with its immigration crack and implemented laws targeting illegal immigration.
Despite the major increase in the population of Venezuela, the co-owner of Venezuela’s restaurant Tekabite, Orlando’s Venezuela population, the restaurants have recently fought to fill jobs and trade is down.
Some immigrants lost their legal status and work permits under Trump. Others who have immigration procedures pending are very frightened to get out of the house besides going and going out of work.
In July 2024, a 38 -year -old solo mother from Mexico, who crossed the border with her three children, said she came to Central Florida as four nephews who were living in the area told them that it is a peaceful place where people speak Spanish. The mathematics teacher, who has requested asylum, insisted on being recognized by her first name as she is afraid of exile.
In July 2025, immigration officials placed an electronic bracelet on his ankle to monitor him.
Because after presenting the work permit request, one of his friends was deported, he did not say for one, he said.
“It’s scary,” he said. “Of course this is.”
This is a documentary photo story cured by AP photo editors.