>>THIS WEEK ON NEWSNIGHT, GOVERNOR DESANTIS OPENS UP VACCINES TO RESIDENTS AGE 60 OR OLDER AS LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND VACCINATION SITES BEGAN EXPANDING ACCESS.

IS THE THREAT OF IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT DETERRING SOME PEOPLE FROM GETTING VACCINATED?

PLUS CONGRESS DEBATES STATEHOOD FOR PUERTO RICO.

NEWSNIGHT STARTS NOW.

♪ MUSIC ♪ >>HELLO, I'M STEVE MORT.

WELCOME TO NEWSNIGHT, WHERE WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE BIG STORIES IMPACTING CENTRAL FLORIDA AND HOW THEY AFFECT YOU.

WE DO THIS BY BRINGING TOGETHER A TEAM OF JOURNALISTS EVERY WEEK FROM DIFFERENT LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR IN-DEPTH DISCUSSIONS ON THESE IMPORTANT ISSUES.

SO JOINING US THIS WEEK ARE DEANNA ALLBRITTIN OF WFTV CHANNEL 9 AND THE EDITOR OF EL SENTINEL, JENNIFER MARCIAL OCASIO.

THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

MY COLLEAGUE NANCY ALVAREZ IS TAKING A FEW WEEKS OFF AND WE WISH NANCY ALL THE BEST.

ALL RIGHT FIRST TONIGHT, THE GOVERNOR THIS WEEK ANNOUNCED THAT STARTING MONDAY, FLORIDA WILL BE LOWERING THE VACCINE ELIGIBILITY AGE TO 60 AND OLDER.

THE MOVE COMES AS MORE PEOPLE ACROSS THE STATE SEEK VACCINES AND LOCAL JURISDICTIONS TAKE THEIR OWN STEPS TO MIRROR FEDERAL GUIDELINES.

>>WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON- >>GOVERNOR DESANTIS SAYS THERE ARE SIGNS THAT DEMAND FOR VACCINES AMONG THOSE 65 AND OLDER IS SOFTENING.

>>WE THINK THAT THAT'S A GOOD SIGN BECAUSE WE THINK THAT WE'VE REACHED CRITICAL MASS ON THE SENIOR POPULATION, HAVE MORE TO DO, AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO IT.

AND WE'RE ONE OF THE TOP STATES YOU LOOK AT.

I THINK WE HAVE BY FAR THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF ALL OUR VACCINES HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO SENIORS.

WE'RE ONE OF THE TOPS FOR THE TOTAL NUMBER OF SHOTS GIVEN TO SENIORS, AS WELL AS THE PERCENTAGE OF SENIORS, 65 AND UP THAT HAVE HAD A SHOT.

SO WE WANT TO CONTINUE WITH THAT MOMENTUM.

>>THE GOVERNOR'S EXECUTIVE ORDER SIGNED MONDAY KEEPS AN AGE REQUIREMENT OF 50 AND OVER FOR SEVERAL CATEGORIES OF OCCUPATION, INCLUDING K THROUGH 12 SCHOOL EMPLOYEES AND IT DOES NOT MENTION HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS.

NEVERTHELESS, IN ORANGE COUNTY MAYOR, JERRY DEMINGS SAYS HE'S TRYING TO BRING SITES LIKE THE ORANGE COUNTY CONVENTION CENTER INTO LINE WITH FEDERAL VACCINE RULES OF FEMA SUPPORTED SITES AND PHARMACIES.

IN ORANGE COUNTY, ALL EDUCATORS AND STAFF IN SCHOOLS, COLLEGES, AND LICENSED DAYCARES CAN NOW GET VACCINATED, REGARDLESS OF AGE.

THE SAME DOSE WAS SWORN LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS.

>>ORANGE COUNTY TEACHERS HAVE BEEN ON THE FRONT LINES OF THE PANDEMIC SINCE THEIR CLASSROOM OPEN TO STUDENTS IN SEPTEMBER AND PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS RECOGNIZED THE SACRIFICES THEY HAVE MADE TO KEEP EDUCATING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.

>>UCF THIS WEEK BEGAN VACCINATING ITS OWN STAFF AFTER RECEIVING ENOUGH PFIZER DOSES FROM THE COUNTY FOR ABOUT 2300 EMPLOYEES TO RECEIVE BOTH SHOTS.

CRITICS SAY THE VACCINE ROLLOUT HAS BECOME A DEBACLE CAUSED BY A LACK OF CLARITY AT THE STATE LEVEL.

>>WHAT WE ARE SEEING WITH THIS VACCINE ROLLOUT IS CHAOS, CONFUSION, FRUSTRATION, LACK OF CLARITY, BECAUSE THERE'S STILL NO PLAN.

NOT ONLY NOW IS IT UNCLEAR WHO QUALIFIES, IT'S UNCLEAR OF WHAT IS NEEDED.

SOME SITES REQUIRE A FORM, SOME DON'T.

SOME AREAS ARE VACCINATING ALL THE TEACHERS, SOME AREN'T.

SOME DOCTORS ARE EVEN CHARGING $350 IN ORDER TO BE GIVING THEM THAT PRECIOUS LETTER FOR QUALIFYING SOMEBODY.

>>MEANWHILE, PHARMACIES ARE EXPANDING ACCESS.

PUBLIX THIS WEEK BEGAN ALLOWING CUSTOMERS TO MAKE APPOINTMENTS SPECIFICALLY FOR THE ONE-SHOT JOHNSON AND JOHNSON VACCINE, OR INSTEAD SELECT THE TWO SHOT, MODERNA VACCINE.

>>WELL, ON WEDNESDAY, THE GOVERNOR SAID THOSE 55 AND OLDER WOULD BE THE NEXT GROUP FOLLOWED BY ALL FLORIDA RESIDENTS, BUT HE DID NOT SET OUT A TIMELINE FOR THAT.

WE SHOULD NOTE WE ARE RECORDING THE SHOW ON THURSDAY MORNING.

SO OF COURSE THINGS MAY CHANGE BY AIR TIME AS THIS IS A FAST MOVING STORY.

DEANNA, LET ME START WITH YOU.

PEOPLE THAT YOU'VE TALKED TO CONFUSED ABOUT WHO QUALIFIES FOR VACCINATION, WHAT KINDS OF EXPERIENCES ARE YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES HEARING AS YOU COVER THIS STORY?

>>I MEAN, YES, PEOPLE ARE CONFUSED.

I ACTUALLY JUST CHECKED MY TWITTER DMS JUST NOW AND SAW THAT I HAD THREE NEW MESSAGES FROM PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT SURE WHETHER THEY QUALIFIED AS EDUCATORS.

I'VE SEEN THIS EVERY SINGLE DAY.

I'VE EVEN HAD COMMISSIONERS FROM SOME OF THE COUNTIES CALLING ME TO ASK ME WHO SUPPOSED TO QUALIFY, ASKING ME AS A JOURNALIST.

>>PART OF THE PROBLEM IS, IT'S CHANGING SO QUICKLY, BUT ALSO PART OF THE PROBLEM IS POOR COMMUNICATION.

I MEAN, EVEN WHEN THE GOVERNOR HAS SIGNED SOME OF HIS EXECUTIVE ORDERS, OPENING THINGS TO LIKE MEDICALLY VULNERABLE PEOPLE WHO ARE UNDER 65, FOR INSTANCE, I WAS INFORMING PUBLIX THAT THAT HAD HAPPENED.

THEY DIDN'T KNOW THAT THEMSELVES.

AND SO THAT IS A HUGE PART OF THE PROBLEM.

>>AND THEN ANOTHER PART OF THE PROBLEM IS THE DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES PEOPLE ARE HAVING WHEN THEY GO TO THE SITES.

SOME OF THE FEMA SITES STILL AREN'T ASKING PEOPLE FOR THE FORMS.

SOME OF THE FEMA SITES ARE VACCINATING ANY KIND OF FRONTLINE WORKER WHO SHOWS A BADGE, NOT JUST THE BADGES UNDER THE OCCUPATIONS LISTED, THEY'RE USING FEDERAL GUIDELINES WHILE OTHERS ARE USING STATES.

SO PEOPLE ARE POSTING ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER ABOUT SUCCESSFULLY GETTING A VACCINE AT SOME OF THESE SITES BECAUSE OF X, Y, AND Z.

AND MEANWHILE, THEY GO TO PUBLIX, THEY GO TO WALMART, OR THEY GO TO THEIR COUNTY SITE AND THOSE SAME QUALIFICATIONS OR ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS AREN'T THERE.

SO IT REALLY HAS JUST BEEN KIND OF A MESS FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.

>>AND WE'VE CERTAINLY SEEN THAT THERE'S BEEN DISPARITIES AS WELL, BETWEEN WHICH FEMA SITES ARE DOING WHAT.

CERTAINLY IN MIAMI-DADE, WE'VE SEEN QUITE SORT OF A LIBERAL APPROACH TO WHO GETS VACCINATED.

JENNIFER, THERE'S BEEN A DEBATE OVER WHETHER PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE TO SEE A DOCTOR AND GET THAT STATE FORM FILLED OUT TO PROVE THAT THEY'RE MEDICALLY VULNERABLE.

WE HEARD THAT FROM NIKKI FREID MOMENTS AGO.

OPPONENTS SAY IT LIMITS ACCESS TO UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.

WHAT ARE THOSE CONCERNS?

>>WELL, THE MAIN CONCERN I WOULD HAVE TO SAY IS THAT OF THE PEOPLE FROM UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, MEANING HISPANICS, BLACKS, THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE A PRIMARY DOCTOR TO GO TO.

AND THIS HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS.

AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC OF WHY MANY OF THEM HAVE WAITED TILL THE VERY LAST MINUTE TO GO TO A DOCTOR AND REALIZED THAT THEY HAD COVID OR REALIZED THAT IT WAS A WORST CASE SCENARIO FOR THEM THAT THEY HAD TO GO INTO VENTILATORS AND STUFF.

SO NOW SPEAKING OF HAVING TO GO TO A DOCTOR TO GET A FORM FILLED OUT IN ORDER TO GET A VACCINE, IT'S HORRIBLE FOR THEM.

FOR EXAMPLE, MYSELF, WHEN I MOVED TO CENTRAL FLORIDA, I DID NOT HAVE A PRIMARY DOCTOR HERE BY THE TIME THAT I FOUND ONE AND EVERYTHING WAS GOING, LIKE ROLLING DOWN, IT'S SUPER COMPLICATED FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND WHERE DO YOU HAVE TO GO?

WHAT DOCTOR IS GOING TO FILL THIS OUT?

>>MANY LATINOS AND HISPANICS HERE ARE TERRIFIED OF THE FEES THAT THEY WILL HAVE TO PAY JUST FOR GOING INTO A DOCTOR'S OFFICE.

MANY CAN'T AFFORD GOING TO A DOCTOR'S OFFICE.

THEY DON'T HAVE INSURANCE.

SO IT'S KIND OF LIKE AN ONION THAT YOU KEEP PEELING LAYERS, AND IT'S LIKE AN ISSUE AFTER AN ISSUE AND AFTER AN ISSUE.

IT'S HORRIBLE.

>>IF YOU THINK ABOUT NOT JUST THE ABILITY TO GO TO A DOCTOR AND HOW MUCH IT COST FOR SOME PEOPLE TO MAYBE PAY A COPAY, AND THEN SOME DOCTOR'S OFFICE IS CHARGED TO BE ABLE TO SIGN FORMS LIKE PHYSICALS, BUT THEY'RE ALSO CHARGING FOR THIS FORM, BUT ALSO YOU NEED TO FIND A WAY TO GET THERE.

SO SOME PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS ISSUES ALREADY TO GET TO THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE.

AND THEN WHEN THEY GET THERE, ARE COMPOUNDED, THEY HAVE THAT ISSUE COMPOUNDED BY PAYING $125 IN MEDICAL COSTS JUST TO GET THE FORM SIGNED AND NOW THEY STILL HAVE TO GET TO A VACCINE SITE.

SO IT IS JUST REALLY ONLY WIDENING THE DISPARITIES FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE SOME OF THOSE COMORBIDITIES.

>>YEAH.

THAT'S A VERY GOOD POINT TO MAKE.

I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE VARIANTS, A MOMENT.

THE LATEST CDC DATA SHOWS THAT COVID VARIANTS ARE SPREADING WIDELY IN FLORIDA, WHICH HAS BY FAR THE MOST CASES OF ANY STATE WE'VE LINKED TO THE CDCS MAP OF COVID VARIANT REPORTS ON OUR WEBSITE, BY THE WAY.

THERE ARE CONCERNS THAT IT COULD BLUNT THE ROLLOUT OF THE VACCINE, RIGHT, DEANNA?

>>YES, THERE ARE, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE FLORIDA HAS NOT BEEN THE BEST AT GENOMIC SURVEILLANCE, SO ACTUALLY LOOKING FOR THESE VARIANTS.

SO WE HAVE THE MOST OF ANY STATE, DESPITE NOT LOOKING FOR IT AS MUCH AS OTHERS.

THE STATE WILL CLAIM THAT THEY'RE A LEADER IN THIS, BUT IT JUST DOES NOT BEAR OUT WITH THE DATA.

AND THEY REALLY HAVEN'T RESPONDED AT HOW THEY'RE THE LEADER.

BUT ESSENTIALLY, WHAT THIS MEANS IS THAT THESE VARIANTS, WHICH ARE MORE TRANSMISSIBLE AND IN SOME CASES, WITH LIKE THE SOUTH AFRICAN VARIANT, ARE MORE DEADLY OR LEAD TO MORE SEVERE COMPLICATIONS.

THERE IS THAT POSSIBILITY, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE MODERNA AND PFIZER WERE NOT TESTED AGAINST THESE VARIANTS.

SO WE ACTUALLY DON'T REALLY HAVE A GOOD IDEA OF THEIR EFFICACY AGAINST THOSE VARIANTS.

>>SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT POTENTIALLY IS IF THE VACCINE IS NOT AS GOOD AGAINST SOME OF THESE VARIANTS THAT WE'RE ALLOWING THEM TO CONTINUE TO SPREAD IN FLORIDA AND STATES LIKE TEXAS, WHERE THINGS MIGHT BE MORE OPEN, THEN YOU ARE OPENING YOURSELVES UP TO MAYBE HAVING THIS KIND OF SECONDARY PANDEMIC CAL AS SOME PEOPLE HAVE REFERRED TO IT.

SO THAT IS WHAT PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO REALLY MOVE AGAINST OR WARN PEOPLE ABOUT THAT THEY WILL HOPEFULLY CONTINUE TO WEAR MASKS, CONTINUE TO DISTANCE, PARTICULARLY IF THEY'RE NOT VACCINATED.

BUT AGAIN, EVEN IF YOU ARE, IF SOME OF THESE VARIANTS AREN'T EFFECTIVELY BEING BLUNTED BY THE VACCINE, WE HAVE A WHOLE OTHER ISSUE ON OUR HANDS.

>>YEAH, AND CERTAINLY THE SCIENCE IS STILL BEING DONE WHEN IT COMES TO THE EFFICACY OF THOSE VACCINES AS YOU SAY ON THE VARIANTS.

SO WE TALK ABOUT THAT $1.9 TRILLION FEDERAL STIMULUS PASSED BY CONGRESS THIS WEEK IN THE WAKE OF THE COVID PANDEMIC.

GOVERNOR DESANTIS SAYS IT SHORTCHANGES FLORIDA.

>>THEY ARE PENALIZING STATES LIKE FLORIDA WHO HAVE PERFORMED BETTER ECONOMICALLY DURING THE PANDEMIC.

AND THEY ARE REWARDING THE LOCKDOWN STATES WHO'VE MADE A LOT OF TERRIBLE DECISIONS, HURT A LOT OF PEOPLE.

THEY ARE REWARDING THEM FOR HAVING HIGHER UNEMPLOYED POPULATIONS.

AND SO THE WAY THIS CURRENT BILL IS STRUCTURED, FLORIDA WILL END UP WITH APPROXIMATELY $2 BILLION LESS IN AID UNDER THE UNEMPLOYMENT METHODOLOGY THAN WE WOULD BE PROVIDED IF CONGRESS USED THE SAME PER CAPITA DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS THAT WAS USED IN THE CARES ACT.

>>THAT WAS THE GOVERNOR TALKING BEFORE CONGRESS PASSED THAT BILL.

SO DEANNA, WHAT WILL THE STATE OF FLORIDA END UP GETTING OUT OF THIS PACKAGE?

>>SO HE'S RIGHT THAT THE STATE WILL GET ABOUT $1.5 BILLION LESS THAN THEY WOULD HAVE.

OTHERWISE, THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN ABOUT IN LINE.

WE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABOUT IN LINE WITH NEW YORK, BUT INSTEAD, WE ARE FORCED BEHIND NEW YORK.

SOME PEOPLE WOULD SAY, WELL, OKAY, THAT'S BY HIS METRIC THAT FLORIDA DID BETTER OR MADE BETTER DECISIONS THAN THE LOCKDOWN STATES.

SOME PEOPLE WOULD SAY THAT THOSE STATES ARE NOW GETTING SOME FUNDING OR RELIEF BECAUSE THEY MADE PUBLIC HEALTH SAFETY DECISIONS THAT SOME HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY WERE THE RIGHT CALL.

THAT MONEY WILL BE BROKEN UP BETWEEN COUNTIES, CITIES, AND THE STATE GOVERNMENTS.

SO WHAT WE'LL SEE AGAIN, IS SOME OF THE FUNDING FOR THINGS LIKE RENTAL ASSISTANCE OR CONTINUED RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE, THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT TO GOVERNOR DESANTIS' POINT, YES, FLORIDA WILL RECEIVE LESS, BUT SOME AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL ARE ARGUING, WELL, YOU NEED LESS BECAUSE UNEMPLOYMENT IS LOWER IN YOUR STATE.

>>YEAH.

AND BE SURE TO JOIN THE CONVERSATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

WE ARE AT WUCF TV ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND INSTAGRAM.

WELL, IF YOU'VE BEEN TO ONE OF THE FEMA SUPPORTED VACCINATION SITES IN FLORIDA, YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN A SIGN REASSURING VISITORS THAT IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES WILL NOT CONDUCT ENFORCEMENT OPERATIONS AT OR NEAR THOSE LOCATIONS.

THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY SAYS IN A STATEMENT DHS AND ITS FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PARTNERS FULLY SUPPORT, EQUAL ACCESS TO THE COVID 19 VACCINES AND VACCINE DISTRIBUTION SITES FOR UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS.

IT IS A MORAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH IMPERATIVE TO ENSURE THAT ALL INDIVIDUALS RESIDING IN THE UNITED STATES HAVE ACCESS TO THE VACCINE.

DHS ENCOURAGES ALL INDIVIDUALS, REGARDLESS OF IMMIGRATION STATUS TO RECEIVE THE COVID 19 VACCINE ONCE ELIGIBLE UNDER LOCAL DISTRIBUTION GUIDELINES.

HERE IS THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY, JEN PSAKI.

>>OBVIOUSLY, VACCINE HESITANCY, WHICH CERTAINLY EXISTS IN COMMUNITIES OF UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS AND THE CONCERN OF WHAT IT WILL MEAN FOR THEIR STATUS, BUT WE ARE FOCUSED ON ENSURING WE GET THE VACCINE OUT BROADLY.

WE DO FEEL AS AN ADMINISTRATION THAT ENSURING THAT ALL PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES, UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS AS WELL, OF COURSE, SHOULD RECEIVE ACCESS TO A VACCINE BECAUSE THAT ONE IS MORALLY RIGHT, BUT ALSO ENSURES THAT PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY ARE ALSO SAFE.

>>ALL RIGHT.

JENNIFER, WELL, LET'S START WITH THE NUMBERS HERE.

THE KAISER FAMILY FOUNDATION FINDS THAT IN FLORIDA, LATINOS MAKE UP 27% OF THE POPULATION, BUT THEY'VE MADE UP ONLY ABOUT 17% OF COVID VACCINATION SO FAR.

IS THERE EVIDENCE?

DO YOU THINK THAT THAT FEAR OF IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT MIGHT BE CAUSING VACCINE HESITANCY IN SORT OF THOSE UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES?

>>I WOULD SAY YES.

IT'S A MIXTURE OF DIFFERENT SITUATIONS.

ASIDE OF THE IMMIGRATION STATUS, THERE WAS A LOT OF MISINFORMATION GOING ON AND MANY OF SOCIAL MEDIA SITES, ON WHATSAPP CHAINS, WITHIN THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE NOT TRUSTING THE VACCINE OR THINKING THAT IT WAS MADE TOO QUICKLY AND THEY WANTED TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT THE RESULTS WERE GOING TO BE OR HOW PEOPLE WERE REACTING TO IT.

SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST ISSUES.

AND THEN WE GO INTO THE IMMIGRATION SITUATION AND TELLING PEOPLE THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ASKING ABOUT YOUR IMMIGRATION STATUS AND EVERYTHING, BUT EVEN PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE LEGALLY AND HAVE PAPERS AND EVERYTHING SET UP ARE STILL AFRAID OF GOING JUST IN CASE THEY HAVE TOLD US THAT THEY CAME FROM AN ADMINISTRATION TELLING THEM TO GO BACK TO THEIR COUNTRY AND ADMINISTRATION TELLING THEM THAT THEY WERE NOT WELCOME HERE.

SO ANYTHING THAT WOULD ASK THEM ABOUT THEIR BIRTH DATE, WHERE THEY LIVE, THEY'RE AFRAID OF BEING TRACKED, OF PUTTING THEIR INFORMATION OUT THERE THAT WILL POSSIBLY BE USED IN THE WAY THAT COULD HARM THEIR LEGAL STATUS HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, WHEN THAT IS NOT THE CASE.

SO THERE'S SO MANY THINGS GOING ON AND SO MANY THINGS THAT THE LATINO COMMUNITY AND THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY IS AFRAID OF THAT EVEN GOING TO GET A VACCINE OR GOING TO A DOCTOR TO GET THAT FORM, THERE'S MANY TRAIN OF THOUGHT GOING BEHIND THIS DECISION.

AND IT'S NOT AS EASY AS SAYING, "YEAH, I'M GOING TO GO AND GET VACCINATED."

>>AND DEANNA, WHAT ABOUT THOSE CONCERNS OVER VACCINE HESITANCY THAT WE'VE HEARD ABOUT IN MINORITY COMMUNITIES WRIT LARGE.

I MEAN, ARE WE SEEING EVIDENCE OF THAT PLAYING OUT?

>>YES, WE ARE, BUT WE'RE SEEING IT ACTUALLY LESS ON THE BLACK COMMUNITY THAN I THINK SOME PEOPLE EXPECTED.

I, FOR ONE, WAS REALLY EXPECTING VACCINE HESITANCY TO BE HIGH, JUST BASED ON CONVERSATIONS I HAD WITH PEOPLE.

MY FATHER GREW UP NEAR TUSKEGEE.

HIS OWN UNCLE WAS A VICTIM OF THE TUSKEGEE EXPERIMENT.

SO THERE WAS A LOT OF HESITANCY OF GOVERNMENT BACK MEDICAL PROGRAMS IN OUR FAMILY, JUST LIKE THERE ARE MANY FAMILIES, BUT THE BLACK COMMUNITY HAS REALLY LEANED HEAVILY ON CHURCH LEADERS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS TO GET THE VACCINE FIRST AND REALLY MESSAGE OUT HOW SAFE IT IS, REALLY TRY TO BEAT BACK ON SOME OF THE MISINFORMATION ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS VACCINE, AND HAS REALLY UTILIZED A LOT OF MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS NURSES TO GO KNOCK ON DOORS, REALLY PUTTING BOOTS ON THE GROUND.

OUT IN BREVARD COUNTY, THE WAY THAT THEY FILLED 1,000 SLOTS FOR ONE OF THEIR CHURCH EVENTS WAS BY KNOCKING ON DOORS AND TALKING TO PEOPLE FACE TO FACE BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO REACH THE PEOPLE WHO MIGHT BE THE MOST HESITANT, NOT THE PEOPLE WHO WOULD HAVE GONE ONLINE AND SIGN THEMSELVES UP.

I THINK WE ARE STARTING TO SEE SOME OF THAT IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, ESPECIALLY AMONG THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY.

I KNOW IN OSCEOLA COUNTY, THEY STARTED SOME REALLY SIMILAR EFFORTS.

SO THE HESITANCY HAS NOT BEEN AS BAD IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY, AT LEAST I CAN SAY, AS WE THOUGHT.

NOW IT'S ABOUT GETTING PEOPLE ACTUAL ACCESS TO THAT VACCINE.

>>YEAH.

THAT DOES SEEM TO BE BORN OUT BY A LOT OF THE REPORTING THAT I'VE SEEN CERTAINLY.

JENNIFER, I WANTED TO ASK YOU ABOUT ANOTHER IMMIGRATION STORY THIS WEEK THAT IS IMPORTANT TO US HERE IN FLORIDA.

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAS RECEIVED SOME BIPARTISAN SUPPORT IN OUR STATE FOR GRANTING TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS TO VENEZUELANS IN THE US THIS WEEK.

IT'S A STORY THAT I'VE BEEN COVERING FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THAT?

TALK US THROUGH THAT?

>>WE'VE SPOKEN TO SO MANY VENEZUELA AND SINCE THIS HAPPENED MONDAY AFTERNOON, THEN YESTERDAY THERE WAS A HUGE EVENT FROM ONE OF THE LOCAL ORGANIZATION, MI FAMILIA VOTA.

SO IT HAD A REPRESENTATIVE DARREN SOTO AND HAD SOME LAWYERS, IMMIGRATION LAWYERS, HELPING PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS MEANS.

AND THE VENEZUELANS WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO TALK TO LITERALLY TOLD US THAT THEY CAN FEEL LIKE THEY CAN BREATHE AGAIN, AT LEAST FOR THE NEXT 18 MONTHS.

BUT IT'S A SECOND OPPORTUNITY TO BEING ALIVE.

THERE'S PEOPLE THAT HAVE LOST FAMILY MEMBERS, THERE'S PEOPLE THAT ARE ON LISTS, THAT IF THEY GO BACK, THEIR LIVES ARE AT RISK.

SO FOR THEM HAVING THIS TPS BEING ABLE TO APPLY FOR THIS WITHIN THE NEXT 180 DAYS AND GETTING THAT GRANTED FOR THEM FOR AT LEAST THE NEXT 18 MONTHS, IT'S LITERALLY ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY OF LIVING THAT AMERICAN DREAM, BUT STAYING ALIVE HERE.

>>YEAH.

AND YOU CAN FIND A LINK TO THE KAISER FAMILY FOUNDATIONS REPORT ON IMMIGRANT ACCESS TO COVID-19 VACCINES.

ON OUR WEBSITE, IT'S AT WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

ALL RIGHT, NEXT, TONIGHT, THE DEBATE OVER PUERTO RICAN STATEHOOD, CENTRAL FLORIDA, CONGRESSMAN DARREN SOTO HAS INTRODUCED A BILL IN THE HOUSE TO MAKE PUERTO RICO A STATE.

IT WOULD SET UP A BINDING REFERENDUM TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE TERRITORY WOULD BE ADMITTED TO THE UNION.

>>WE SAW IN NOVEMBER IN THE GENERAL ELECTION, WHERE THERE WAS THE HIGHEST TURNOUT, A SIMPLE BALLOT QUESTION OF STATEHOOD YES OR NO.

AND A MAJORITY OF PUERTO RICANS VOTED YES.

SO THE BILL CREATES ONE FINAL BINDING RESOLUTION AFTER PRESIDENTIAL PROCLAMATION WHERE THERE'D BE ONE LAST STATEHOOD YES OR NO QUESTION AND SHOULD THEY VOTE YES?

AND A MAJORITY OF THEM PUERTO RICO WOULD BE ADMITTED TO THE UNION SOON THEREAFTER.

PUERTO RICO HAS BEEN THROUGH SO MUCH OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS FROM HURRICANE MARIA, TO THE PROMESA BUDGET CUTS, TO EARTHQUAKES, TO COVID 19.

AND THE PEOPLE IN PUERTO RICO HAVE DECIDED IT'D BE FAR BETTER TO NAVIGATE THESE CRISES WITH TWO US SENATORS AND FOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS TO HELP THEM.

>>WELL, SOME OF YOU THE DEMOCRATIC COLLEAGUES AND ALSO SOME ADVOCACY GROUPS ARE PUSHING FOR A DIFFERENT TACK, POSSIBLY A STATUS CONVENTION WHERE DELEGATES SELECTED BY VOTERS ARE TASKED WITH COMING UP WITH A LONG-TERM SOLUTION.

WHAT WOULD BE WRONG WITH A POSITION LIKE THAT?

>>FIRST, IT IGNORES AN ELECTION THAT WE JUST HAD, WHERE PUERTO RICANS ON THE ISLAND DECIDED FOR STATEHOOD.

SECOND, THERE'S GENERAL CONSENSUS THAT THE CURRENT TERRITORIAL STATUS IS A FAILED STATUS IN WHICH PRODUCES SECOND CLASS CITIZENS.

AND WE'VE ALL PAINFULLY SEEN IN OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

AND I'M ALWAYS CONCERNED ABOUT FOLKS ON THE MAINLAND, TRYING TO TELL FOLKS ON THE ISLAND WHAT THEY SHOULD DO.

THE RESIN COMMISSIONER SUPPORTS THIS BILL, THE ONE THAT IT WAS ELECTED BY PUERTO RICANS ON THE ISLAND, THE ELECTED GOVERNOR SUPPORTS THIS BILL.

WELL, THE IDEAS THAT WE HAVE BEEN PUSHED OR NOW FROM THE MAINLAND, TRYING TO FORCE THIS ON THE ISLAND WHEN THEY'VE ALREADY VOTED.

SO IT'S UNDEMOCRATIC, AND IT'S A DELAY OF THE INEVITABLE, WHICH IS FIXING THE FAILED STATUS.

>>THE BILL DOESN'T SEEM TO HAVE VERY GOOD PROSPECTS IN THE SENATE THOUGH.

AND SENATE MAJORITY LEADER, CHUCK SCHUMER, DOESN'T SEEM TO HAVE MUCH APPETITE FOR IT.

WHAT REALISTICALLY ARE THE PROSPECTS HERE?

>>HE SAID SUPPORTIVE THINGS OF STATEHOOD BEFORE THE ELECTION AND THEN FLIP-FLOPPED AFTER THE ELECTION BECAUSE HE'S SCARED OF PRIMARIES BY A CERTAIN NEW YORK MEMBERS OF CONGRESS SADLY.

I'M HOPING THAT HE WILL BE SUPPORTIVE.

PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS MADE FAR MORE SUPPORTIVE STATEMENTS SAYING THAT IT'S HIS PERSONAL CHOICE THAT HE BELIEVES THAT PUERTO RICO WOULD BENEFIT FROM STATEHOOD.

>>SO I DON'T THINK THE MOVING BACK AND FORTH AND THE POSITIONS, THE MAJORITY LEADER ARE DEFINITELY A DECISION POINT JUST QUITE YET, WITH THE PRESENT BEING SUPPORTIVE AND WITH US HAVING 50, ALMOST 60 CO-SPONSORS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE.

THIS IS ALL GROUNDED IN THE FACT THAT WE'VE HAD A DEMOCRATIC ELECTION.

PEOPLE HAVE MADE A CHOICE.

THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO DO THIS.

OTHERWISE, WE'RE JUST IGNORING THE WILL OF A TERRITORY THAT'S MAJORITY HISPANIC WHO HAD A GENERAL ELECTION BALLOT THAT DECIDED FOR STATEHOOD.

AND I, FOR ONE, THINK OUR DEMOCRACY STANDS FOR SUPPORTING THESE TYPES OF DECISIONS.

>>ALL RIGHT.

WELL, CONGRESS IS DIVIDED.

SO HOW DOES CENTRAL FLORIDA'S PUERTO RICAN COMMUNITY COME DOWN ON THIS ISSUE?

BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT THIS, LET'S HEAR FROM FERNANDO RIVERA, DIRECTOR OF THE PUERTO RICO RESEARCH HUB AT UCF.

>>WE'VE DONE SOME RESEARCH AT THE PUERTO RICO RESEARCH HUB, AND IT SHOWS THAT OVERWHELMINGLY PUERTO RICANS, AT LEAST THE ONES HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA DO CHOOSE SUPPORT FOR STATEHOOD.

OBVIOUSLY, THAT RUNS COUNTER WITH WHAT OUR DEFENSE FOR OTHER SECTORS OF THE POPULATION THAT PERHAPS DON'T SEE IT THAT WAY, THAT WANT TO HAVE SORT OF OTHER TYPES OF STATUS OPTIONS AS WELL, NOT NECESSARILY ON THE STATEHOOD, BUT AGAIN, EVERY TIME WE TALK ABOUT STATEHOOD, EVERY TIME WE TALK ABOUT THE STATUS, SO IT RE-EMERGES SORT OF THOSE DIVISIONS AND THOSE DISCUSSIONS THAT ARE CENTRAL FOR THE DISCUSSIONS THAT PUERTO RICANS HAVE BOTH ON THE ISLAND AND HERE ON THE DIASPORA.

>>WHY DO WE FIND THAT THESE EFFORTS TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE SO OFTEN FAIL BOTH IN CONGRESS AND ON THE ISLAND?

>>THAT SEEMS TO BE THE REMARKABLE HISTORY OF IT.

WE HAVE HAD SIX REFERENDUMS DEALING WITH THIS IN THE LAST 50 OR 60 YEARS.

AND THERE SEEMS TO BE NO RESOLUTION.

IT SEEMS THAT THERE'S A SLIGHT MAJORITY OUT HERE.

I THINK USUALLY THE REFERENDUMS SHOWS A DIVIDED PUBLIC, RIGHT?

USUALLY NOW IT TENDS TO FAVOR STATEHOOD SLIGHTLY, BUT IT'S STILL THAT DIVISIVE ISSUE OUT THERE, AND IT CONTINUES TO BE SO.

>>ALL RIGHT.

DEANNA, I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO COME TO YOU FIRST ON THIS ONE.

ALL OF US THAT COVER CENTRAL FLORIDA COVER THIS ISSUE OF PUERTO RICO.

AND I'M WONDERING HOW PUERTO RICANS IN CENTRAL FLORIDA FEEL ABOUT THIS STATUS ISSUE FROM WHAT YOU'VE HEARD OVER THE YEARS OF COVERING THIS AREA.

>>SO IT'S DEFINITELY MIXED.

THIS WAS ACTUALLY SOMETHING I ASKED PEOPLE ON ELECTION NIGHT TO SEE HOW PEOPLE, BOTH REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC PUERTO RICAN FELT.

I WAS ACTUALLY SURPRISED THAT THIS WAS NOT JUST ALONG PARTY LINES, THAT SOME OF IT SEEMED TO HAVE TO DO WITH WHETHER PEOPLE THOUGHT STATEHOOD WOULD ACTUALLY SOLVE THE CURRENT PROBLEMS IN PUERTO RICO, WHETHER STATEHOOD WOULD ACTUALLY GIVE PUERTO RICO ACCESS TO THE KIND OF FEDERAL FUNDING THAT COULD FIX A LOT OF THESE ISSUES.

AND SOME PEOPLE FEEL LIKE IT WOULDN'T NECESSARILY.

THERE WERE SOME PEOPLE WHO KIND OF TALKED ABOUT THE COLONIAL UNDERPINNINGS OF PUERTO RICO THAT WOULD STILL BE THERE, WHETHER PUERTO RICO IS A STATE OR NOT AND THAT THOSE ISSUES REALLY NEED TO BE SOLVED, NOT JUST STATE OR NO STATE.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT SOME MEMBERS OF CONGRESS HAVE ARGUED AS WELL.

>>IT'S DEFINITELY INTERESTING THAT THERE ISN'T THE SAME SORT OF PARTISAN DIVIDE AS THERE IS OVER STATEHOOD, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

JENNIFER CONGRESSMAN SOTO TOLD ME, HE THINKS THE IDEA TABLED BY OTHER DEMOCRATS FOR A STATUS CONVENTION INSTEAD IS JUST A DELAYING TACTIC.

DOES THAT IDEA HAVE SUPPORT EITHER ON THE ISLAND OR IN THE DIASPORA?

I MEAN, I WILL SAY THAT BOTH OF THEM HAVE SUPPORT AND HAVE PEOPLE AGAINST IT.

IT'S SUCH A COMPLICATED TOPIC THAT A YES OR NO QUESTION SEEMS TO SIMPLIFY THE SUBJECTS SO MUCH.

LIKE FERNANDO RIVERA WAS SAYING BEFORE, THERE'S BEEN SIX REFERENDUMS IN THE PAST.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT PRIORITIES ...

I GREW UP IN PUERTO RICO AND EVER SINCE I WAS BORN, I'VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT WHETHER WE WILL BECOME A STATE OR NOT, WHAT PEOPLE WANT, WHAT PEOPLE DON'T WANT.

AND THIS IS SUCH A DIVISIVE ISSUE, BOTH ON THE ISLAND AND HERE IN THE DIASPORA.

AND IT REALLY DEPENDS ON WHICH SIDE YOU ASK.

THERE'S PEOPLE THAT ARE SUPER PRO STATEHOOD, THERE'S OTHERS THAT DON'T WANT STATEHOOD, THERE'S OTHERS THAT WANT TO STILL BE US CITIZENS, NOT HAVE THIS SECOND CLASS CITIZENSHIP THAT IT'S ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT, BUT STILL MAINTAIN LIKE PUERTO RICO'S IDENTITY, THE CULTURE, BEING ABLE TO GO TO A MISS UNIVERSE PAGEANT OR THE OLYMPICS, WHICH ARE THINGS THAT SOUNDS VERY SIMPLISTIC, BUT OTHERS ARGUE THAT IF WE BECOME A STATE, THEN WE WOULDN'T HAVE THAT REPRESENTATION THAT IT'S SO CULTURALLY ATTACHED TO PUERTO RICANS, BUT THEN SEEING WHAT HAPPENED AFTER HURRICANE MARIA, SEEING WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THE EARTHQUAKES, AND HOW ALL THE HELP WAS DELAYED, JUST BECAUSE OF THIS COLONIAL STATUS, BECAUSE WE'RE A TERRITORY AND WE END UP HAVING SOME BENEFITS, BUT NOT ALL THE BENEFITS AS A STATE.

SO IT REALLY, REALLY DEPENDS WHAT SIDE ASKED YOU.

>>YEAH.

SUCH AN IMPORTANT ISSUE TO SO MANY PEOPLE HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, FOR SURE.

AND YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ON HB 1522 INTRODUCED BY CONGRESSMAN DARREN SOTO.

ON OUR WEBSITE, IT'S AT WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT.

WELL, THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR THIS WEEK.

MY THANKS TO DEANNA ALLBRITTIN OF WFTV CHANNEL 9 AND JENNIFER MARCIAL OCASIO OF EL SENTINEL.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT FRIDAY NIGHT AT 8:30 HERE ON WUCF.

FROM ALL OF US HERE AT NEWSNIGHT, TAKE CARE AND HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.