Full Breakdown
Byron Donalds Links Immigration Policy to Workforce and Public Health in CBS Interview
8/24/2026, 8:41:07 AM
Core Event: CBS “Face the Nation” Interview (August 23)
On August 23, Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL), the Republican nominee for governor, appeared on CBS’s “Face the Nation” with host Margaret Brennan. During the segment, Donalds defended the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian nationals, argued that recent measles outbreaks were tied to illegal immigration, and outlined a Florida-wide workforce-training plan to address potential labor shortages.
Background & Context
TPS, created as a temporary humanitarian measure, has been used to protect Haitians residing in Florida. The program was originally authorized under the Trump administration and later ended, prompting debate over its permanence. At the same time, Florida’s vaccination coverage remains below the 95 % herd-immunity threshold commonly cited for measles, raising public-health concerns.
Data & Statistics
- Approximately 158,000 Haitian nationals were living in Florida under TPS before the program’s termination.
- Donalds cited more than 10 million people entering the United States illegally as a factor in vaccination gaps.
- Florida’s immunization rate for measles is reported to be below 95 %, the level needed for herd immunity.
- Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar has previously estimated that about 100,000 Haitian workers are employed in Florida’s healthcare sector.
Official Statements & Responses
Regarding the measles situation, Donalds linked outbreaks in El Paso, Texas, and Southwest Florida to “rampant illegal immigration” and asserted that uncontrolled entry of people without vaccination records creates public-health risks. He added that addressing immigration enforcement should precede discussions about vaccine mandates.
Donald s also promoted a workforce-development strategy, proposing expanded internships, apprenticeships, and vocational programs for high-school students to fill gaps in sectors such as healthcare.
Criticism & Opposition
Fellow Florida Republicans expressed concerns about the economic impact of deporting TPS holders. Rep. Carlos Giménez and Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar warned that removing Haitian workers could exacerbate shortages in essential services, particularly in healthcare where Haitian employees constitute a sizable portion of the workforce.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The Biden administration, through enforcement, took the T off the program. They turned that into a permanent program,” — Rep. Byron Donalds, the Republican nominee for Florida governor
- “What you can’t do in immigration is just say that every program just runs into perpetuity with no end, because once you do that, you have the wrong incentives to make sure that people can return to their home country, stabilize that country, and make sure that it returns to normalcy.” — Margaret Brennan
- “What we want to do is, number one, we want to make sure that our kids coming out of high school are having internships and apprenticeships and the necessary workforce training to be able to work, whether it’s healthcare or any other job field,” — Rep. Byron Donalds
- “My message to Floridians and, quite frankly, to Americans is the reason why we have seen a measles outbreak in certain parts of the country is because of rampant illegal immigration into the United States from the previous administration,” — Rep. Byron Donalds
- “You can’t have an entire segment of people more than 10 million coming to your country without that vaccination schedule,” — Rep. Byron Donalds
