Florida council member Chandler Langevin is under fire for social media remarks calling for the deportation of Indians. He has been formally censored by the Palm Bay City Council, The Washington Post reported. Over several weeks this fall, Langevin wrote on X that Indians come to the United States to “drain our pockets” and return to India, “or worse… to stay.”
Florida councilman faces backlash after anti-Indian remarks
Langevin, elected last year, wrote several posts on X targeting the Indian diaspora in the US amid Trump’s ongoing immigrant crackdown campaign. His remarks have sparked outrage among Indian American groups, local residents, and political leaders across Florida. In one post, he demanded the deportation of “every Indian immediately,” tagging US President Donald Trump. On his birthday, Langevin wrote on X, “All I want is for @realDonaldTrump to revoke every Indian visa and deport them immediately. America for Americans.”
More recently, he wrote, “There’s not a single Indian that cares about the United States,” adding, “They are here to exploit us financially and enrich India and Indians.”
He should have thought about this before breaking the law pic.twitter.com/NqT6vZnOgI
— Christina Pushaw 🐊 🇺🇸 (@ChristinaPushaw) August 28, 2025
City council moves to censure
On Thursday night, the Palm Bay City Council voted 3-2 to censure Langevin. The step has limited his ability to add agenda items or speak during committee and council reports without prior approval.
Mayor Rob Medina said the city was “overwhelmed” by the situation. “This nation was founded on immigrants,” he said during the meeting. “We are all part of the very fabric of the flag, the United States of America.”
National advocacy group Hindus for Human Rights has requested Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to remove Langevin from office, the Washington Post reported. Under state law, the governor has the power to suspend municipal officials. Palm Bay has since sent a formal letter to the governor requesting Langevin’s suspension. The governor’s office has not commented.
Several Republican leaders, including Sen. Rick Scott and Rep. Mike Haridopolos, have also distanced themselves from Langevin. The Brevard County Republican Party also issued a statement condemning his behaviour. “Even though Mr Langevin is a registered Republican, his views are his and his alone,” said Brevard GOP chairman Rick Lacey. “Hate like this has no place in our county.”
Langevin refuses to apologise
Langevin has refused to apologise for his comments. He claims that his posts were meant to start a “discourse” on immigration. “I’m not the first Republican to make a mean tweet,” he told The Washington Post, calling the censure “reprehensible.”
Following his remarks, Palm Bay residents gathered at council meetings. More than 100 people attended the October 2 meeting, where members voted 4-1 to send a letter to Governor DeSantis asking for Langevin’s removal.
On October 8, Langevin posted an apology “to patriotic Americans of the Hindu faith” for the tone, but not the message, of his remarks. He later claimed to have had “good conversations” with members of the Indian community.
Palm Bay, on Florida’s eastern coast, has a population of about 135,000, with only around 2 percent identifying as Asian. According to AAPI Data, around 5 million people in the U.S. identify as Indian, with roughly 210,000 living in Florida.
