Some voters who supported candidate Donald Trump are beginning to feel the effects of the immigration policies they once endorsed.
In Florida, a business owner is grappling with the sudden loss of several employees following a recent federal immigration enforcement action.
Vincent Scardina, a roofing contractor based in the Lower Keys, said he was taken aback when six of his workers—all from Nicaragua—were detained by immigration authorities on May 27.
According to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, the men were stopped while traveling to a job site in a company vehicle. Local deputies assisted Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in transporting them to a nearby detention center “for deportation.”
“It’s quite a shock,” Scardina told NBC6 in an emotional interview. “You get to know these guys, they become your friends—not just employees, but friends.”
The detentions are particularly frustrating for Scardina because, according to the workers’ attorney, Regilucia Smith, all six men had valid work permits and pending asylum applications. “They are legally here,” Smith said. “Their work permits are valid, not even close to expiring… and no criminal records—neither here nor in Nicaragua.”
Scardina said he voted for Donald Trump and still supports many of his policies, but acknowledged the situation has given him pause. “Buyer’s remorse? I don’t know… maybe a little.”
He explained that the loss of these workers has placed a significant strain on his small business. “We can’t just replace people easily like in a big city. There’s a very limited labor pool here, and training someone can take years.”
Three of the six detained workers have already been transferred to detention facilities in Texas and California. The other three remain in local custody, as their attorney continues efforts to secure their release.
Scardina said he is not the only one affected. “I know a landscaper who lost nine or ten members of his team. He basically had to shut down his business overnight.”
His colleague, Virgil Scardina, reflected on the broader human cost of the detentions: “I get to go home and hug my kid. These guys don’t. And they don’t deserve that.”
The enforcement action was part of a wider series of immigration raids reportedly initiated following internal guidance from White House officials.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller directed immigration agencies in May to focus on identifying and detaining individuals without legal status in the country.
