A Voice for Miami-Dade
Senator Ileana Garcia is a proven leader whose impactful leadership has resulted in landmark legislation and significant funding aimed at enhancing protections, access to services, economic security, and self-sufficiency for Floridians. She is particularly focused on vulnerable populations, such as foster care children and youth, ensuring they have rights, a voice, and the self-confidence to rise. Her work on homelessness centers on making sure that foster youth are not living on the streets and have access to IDs, driver’s licenses, and comprehensive services that provide opportunities for upward mobility, allowing them to avoid spending their adult lives recovering from traumatic experiences in their youth.
As a strong advocate for seniors, Senator Garcia fights for legislation and services that provide housing and meet basic needs with dignity and equity. She has worked tirelessly to house homeless seniors and ensure they remain in their homes. Her most significant public fight was against the abuses of Homeowners’ Associations (HOAs) in Miami-Dade, where she provided hands-on services for access to legal help and addressed the ineptitude at the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR).
Her commitment to environmental issues is evident through her sponsorship, funding, and passage of vital legislation, such as initiatives for Biscayne Bay and Coastal Resiliency. She has also taken a leading role in addressing the challenges posed by single-use plastics, advocating for improved usage and disposal practices.
Relentless in her efforts, Senator Garcia is unafraid to challenge the establishment on issues of civil, environmental, and consumer rights. She raises her voice to work on protections and solutions, demonstrating compassion and proactivity in defending the community where she was born and raised.
Before being elected to the Florida Senate in 2020, Senator Garcia dedicated over three decades to the community through her work in radio, television, and advocacy. As a passionate human rights advocate and first-generation Cuban American, her mother and grandmother arrived in 1957 in the very district she now represents, seeking freedom—the essence of the American Dream. Senator Garcia remains actively engaged in advocating for the liberation of political prisoners in Cuba and supporting dissidents in exile, promoting freedom from authoritarian regimes.
In the Senate, she serves as the Chair of the Appropriations Committee for Criminal and Civil Justice and has previously held the positions of Chair and currently Vice Chair for Children and Families, a cause close to her heart. Senator Garcia has consistently worked to protect families, children, seniors, and even animals. She is sensitive to the needs of her community and remains accessible to her constituents.
With a deep commitment to her role, she is seeking to continue serving the constituents of Senate District 36, Miami-Dade.
State senators serve in their state's upper legislative chamber. Responsibilities include drafting and voting on state laws, representing their district, confirming gubernatorial appointments, and shaping the state budget. State senators typically serve longer terms than state representatives and represent larger districts. State legislation covers education, healthcare, infrastructure, criminal justice, and taxation.