Close to a hundred worshipers and their children packed into the St. Peter's catholic church Sunday.
The hundreds of families who live and work in Pierson are largely catholic migrant workers who cultivate and pick Pierson's lucrative fern crop. Many of them were excited to hear when President Obama announced earlier in the summer that he would act without congress to achieve immigration reform.
"That’s the reason they actually voted for Obama, because they thought there was gonna be immigration reform." said Ignacio Cruz outside the church.
"What I wanna do is, when I take executive action. I wanna make sure that it's sustainable." said President Barack Obama on a nationally broadcast television show.
But now many of the worshipers feel let down after hearing the president will wait until after midterm elections to take action on that immigration reform.
"It's a pretty big blow. I mean I don't think anybody is gonna be happy with that. You think there are a lot of people are gonna be upset once they hear the president is gonna hold off. Yes, cause it's just losing hope because so much work is done towards it, then all of a sudden we just take another step and go back." said Humberto Morales, as he was preparing the snow cone machine outside where worshipers gather once the religious celebration is over.
White House officials say any immediate action could hurt future efforts to pass a broad overhaul.
"This is something that we are waiting for a long, long time. And unfortunately, he doesn't move forward. And we are waiting, we are eager that he make a decision, especially with this community, all the immigrants." added Father Humberto Ortiz, who leads the congregation.
Senator Bill Nelson released the following statement saying the president acted correctly:
There's no way anybody was going to listen to an informed debate on immigration while House Republicans are scared of tea party members before the election.
Many migrant families, who work on the fern fields, live in the shadows because of their citizenship status. However, they have family members who vote. They say the only way to get the message across to a politician is by flexing their political muscle on election day.
"Now that he's postponing it, well, like I told you they're gonna feel let down and I think it will quell out on the Democratic vote for when the elections come." said Cruz.
Cruz says migrant workers and their families will vote for the party, Republican or Democrat, who gives them what they're looking for, immigration reform.