Florida politician draws outrage over calls for mass ouster of Indian immigrants

"A Florida city council member has drawn the ire of national Indian American groups, members of Congress and local residents after he published a stream of social media posts disparaging Indians in the United States and calling for their mass deportation. Palm Bay council member Chandler Langevin, who was elected last year, lambasted Indians in posts on X, writing over about three weeks this fall that Indians come to the U.S. to "drain our pockets" and then return to India, "or worse ... to stay.""

"Outrage over his comments has upended the community and rippled beyond it. Since Sept. 29, residents and members of regional and national Indian American groups have flooded meetings at Palm Bay's city council chambers, released statements denouncing his remarks and demanded his resignation."

"National advocacy group Hindus for Human Rights has published a letter calling on Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) - who under Florida law has the power to suspend municipal officials - to remove Langevin from office. At an Oct. 2 council meeting, Bharat Patel, the former chair of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association, said the council member's remarks "echo some of history's darkest rhetoric," potentially even inspiring acts of violence."

""We're all overwhelmed by everything," Mayor Rob Medina, who is a member of the council, said during the meeting. "This nation was founded on immigrants. ... We are all part of the very fabric of the flag, our banner, the United States of America.""

Chandler Langevin, a Palm Bay city council member elected last year, posted a series of social media messages disparaging Indians in the United States and calling for their mass deportation. He wrote that Indians come to the U.S. to "drain our pockets" and then return to India or "or worse ... to stay." The posts prompted sustained local and national backlash: residents and Indian American groups flooded council meetings, regional and national organizations issued statements, and the council voted 3-2 to censure him. Hindus for Human Rights called for gubernatorial removal and community leaders warned the rhetoric could inspire violence. Langevin said he intended to start "discourse" about immigration.

Read at The Washington Post