Byron Donalds, a Republican candidate for governor of Florida, said he will study mandatory Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) and polio vaccinations before making changes to school requirements and will coordinate with the state legislature before any decision. He linked recent domestic measles cases to illegal immigration, saying that unvaccinated newcomers have contributed to outbreaks in Texas and parts of Florida. Florida law currently requires two doses of MMR for school‑aged children before 12th grade and three to four doses of polio before age four, according to the Florida Department of Health. The state recorded the fifth‑largest number of measles cases in the nation this year, with an increase over the previous year, and the childhood vaccination rate is 88.8 %, below the 95 % threshold for herd immunity. In a recent interview on “Face the Nation,” Donalds said he wants to ensure any changes to vaccination policy are based on study and consultation with the legislature. He described a “medical freedom” bill that the Senate has passed, which would require parental informed consent, give doctors immunity for prescribing ivermectin, allow pharmacists to dispense vaccines on request, and permit conscience‑based objections to childhood immunizations. The legislation would also ban discrimination based on mRNA vaccination status and protect residents from forced vaccinations during emergencies. Donalds said the measles increase is due to people crossing the border without the required vaccination schedule, arguing that border security under the previous administration prevented such cases. He was asked about the termination of Temporary Protected Status for Haitians and the effect of deportations on healthcare. He said the roughly 35,000 Haitian TPS recipients could be replaced by training programs and that his administration would expand adult education and workforce development to fill gaps in sectors such as healthcare. Florida Republican members of Congress, including Representatives Carlos Gimenez and Maria Elvira Salazar, oppose ending TPS protections, citing safety concerns in Haiti and the contributions of Haitian workers to the local healthcare workforce. They argue that returning Haitians to a country where gangs control much of the capital is unsafe. The timing of any special session on the proposal and the legislative path forward remain unresolved.