DORAL, Fla. – Gov. Rick Scott vowed Tuesday to continue to help the displaced citizens of Puerto Rico who are now living in Florida after they fled the U.S. territory in the wake of Hurricane Maria.
Scott attended a roundtable discussion at the Miami campus of Albizu University in Doral, where he was joined by Florida educators, community leaders and volunteer organizers.
"We've had about, just less than 300,000 people that have moved, have come here, from Puerto Rico," Scott said. "We've had about 35,000 people that have come to our relief centers that we opened up at the Miami airport and Orlando airport."
Scott said Florida has everything the evacuees need to call the state home.
"We're doing everything from helping people get a job to helping them get housing to helping them get into the right schools," Scott said.
Scott took questions from those involved in the relief effort.
One person asked how long the relief centers were going to be open. The Republican governor said as long as needed.
A nurse who fled Puerto Rico with her baby girl said she's having trouble getting a job because she doesn't have a license to practice in Florida. Scott urged her and everyone in a similar situation to contact his office so they can find a solution.
Scott also pledged to provide relief to those still on the island.
Puerto Rico is still struggling in the aftermath of Maria, which made landfall in September. About 45 percent of the island is still without electricity. Full restoration of power isn't estimated to be completed until May.