MIAMI – Where is Sen. Marco Rubio?
The senator was spotted at Florida International University on Thursday, after taking a few days to travel to Europe.
Video obtained by the Miami New Times shows Rubio being confronted by protesters after he left a round table discussion at Jackson Memorial Hospital. The protesters said Rubio had been absent at recent town hall meetings.
Rubio, who was surrounded by his aides, addressed the protesters and answered their questions.
Rubio's staff later confirmed with Local 10 News that he was meeting with world leaders in Germany and France this week as a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee and that he was never scheduled to appear at any town hall meetings.
A video posted to Facebook shows Rubio speaking to protesters at FIU about their concerns.
Local 10 news tried to catch up with senator at his Doral office, where there was a letter taped to the door explaining that the office would be closed for the rest of the week as Rubio and his staff are attending a training on improving their outreach and service to Floridians.
Several protesters gathered outside a town hall meeting Thursday night and held up signs asking where the senator was.
Rubio's staff says that he was never invited to the meeting and therefore didn't plan on attending.
Nevertheless, protesters at the town hall meeting held up milk cartons with Rubio's photo and demanded to be heard.
"I mean he really should come and listen," someone at the event said.
Some public officials also attended the meeting.
"I was hoping he would show up today so I could ask him in person about my concerns," South Miami Mayor Philip Stoddard said.
Miami Beach Commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez said she also has concerns she wants to address with Rubio. "Whether it be the transgender edict. Or fear of mass deportation."
"Every single day something comes out in the media," she said.