‘I will not apologize:’ Palm Bay councilman defies calls to step down over comments about Indian immigration

PALM BAY, Fla. – A highly anticipated city council meeting Thursday could start the process of potentially removing a member of the council.

Palm Bay Community Correspondent James Sparvero reported Tuesday that Councilman Chandler Langevin is back on the hot seat over what he said on social media about Indian visa holders and immigrants.

Langevin said these Indians don’t care about America, are destroying the South, and should all be deported.

However, Langevin clarified his comments on Wednesday morning, saying his words weren’t aimed at “Americans with Indian descent.”

“If someone only hires Indians, sends remittance checks back to India, campaigns in Indian elections, lobby’s (sic) to fly Indian flags over American government buildings, and has no family willing to serve in our military, then their loyalty is to India, and they need to be deported,” he wrote on X.

The councilman has launched several criticisms against U.S. immigration policies and worker visa programs, particularly when it comes to H-1B visas.

In 2024 alone, federal data from the USCIS shows that over 70% of the nearly 400,000 approved H-1B petitions were for workers whose country of birth was India.

Many critics of the program say that H-1B workers undercut American workers, luring people from overseas who are often willing to work for less than American workers do.

The issue gained even more traction earlier this year when the Trump administration decided to slap a $100,000 fee on H-1B visas for new workers.

Langevin declined to talk to Sparvero about his comments, but following Councilman Kenny Johnson’s request for Langevin to step down, Langevin wrote on X, where his comments originated, ‘I will not apologize. I will not resign. I will not be removed from office.’

Langevin was also unapologetic in February after he said the political ideology of Islam doesn’t belong in the United States, and just two weeks ago, when he called an event in memory of Charlie Kirk that he organized, a march against “left-wing evil.”

In a press conference Tuesday, Councilman Johnson said, “Enough’s enough,” as he added a motion to Thursday night’s council agenda.

If Langevin won’t step down on his own, a majority of council members can vote to ask Gov. DeSantis to remove him.

“I pray that he does have a change of heart, but if he doesn’t, then I’m looking to move forward, as such,” Johnson said.

Two years ago, another Palm Bay councilman was asked to step down, and he did.

Pete Filiberto got a DUI after police said officers found cocaine in his socks.

This year, though, Filiberto’s back in government.

Deputy Mayor Mike Jaffe put him on the planning and zoning board, which reviews development plans.

Tuesday night, Mayor Rob Medina tried holding an emergency meeting about Langevin’s comments, but only two of five council members were there, so they didn’t have a quorum and therefore, people who came to speak weren’t broadcast.

For those coming back Thursday night, the regular council meeting will take up the proposal to call for Langevin’s suspension.

Stick with News 6 and ClickOrlando.com for updates to this developing story.