Chaos at Miami-Dade commission as officers drag out objector to new ICE jails agreement
Chaos erupted at a Miami-Dade Commission meeting on Thursday as opponents of an ICE agreement with county jails were dragged out of the chambers after objecting to the board declining to vote on the deal.
County sheriff's deputies dragged out a 36-year-old woman who ignored an officer who told her not to speak as the commission's chair, Anthony Rodriguez, explained he would bar future public comments on the issue if any person chose to speak at Thursday's meeting. The woman, identified as Camila Ramos, collided with a sign as multiple deputies dragged her out of the chambers and was pushed to the floor in the lobby before being removed to a commission office. The chaos prompted other small scuffles with law enforcement during a chaotic confrontation outside the second-floor chambers at the Stephen P. Clark Center in downtown Miami.
The incidents marked the most chaotic moment at the commission chambers since the board agreed in 2017, during the first weeks of the first Trump administration, to extend jail time for local inmates sought by ICE for deportation.
Earlier this year, Miami-Dade approved a formal cooperation agreement with ICE for the county jail system. Those agreements are now mandated by Florida law. The item on the agenda Tuesday was a modification of that agreement that included reimbursement provisions for local inmates held at Miami-Dade jails when sought for deportation. Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, a Democrat, recommended approval.
But before the scheduled vote, Commissioner Oliver Gilbert asked to defer the vote indefinitely because Levine Cava has already signed the agreement. Rodriguez agreed and told the audience they could still speak on the item, but if it ever came up for a vote again, there would not be a second opportunity for anybody to speak in the future.
Ramos was already near the dais, awaiting her chance to speak. She asked for clarification for Rodriguez's instructions when a plain-clothes deputy told to remain silent. She objected and then was forcibly moved from where she stood. Members of the audience objected, with multiple people following her and the deputies outside the chambers. That prompted orders for people to stand back as Ramos was pushed to the ground by deputies.
The modification of a cooperation agreement that Florida law mandates for all jails brought warnings of ICE being able to 'disappear' inmates whose names would otherwise be listed on a public website for loved ones to search. County administrators denied that and said the disputed restrictions on public records in the new agreement already exist under federal law. Levine Cava's administration said the agreement on Tuesday's agenda is required by Florida law.
'This is not something about which I have a choice,' Levine Cava said later in the meeting. 'This is the law. ... It doesn't mean it is the wish of this body.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Boston Globe
an hour ago
- Boston Globe
Debate is underway in the Senate on Trump's big bill, but overnight voting is delayed
Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up But other Senate Republicans, along with conservatives in the House, are pushing for steeper cuts, particularly to health care, drawing their own unexpected warning from Trump. Advertisement 'Don't go too crazy!' the president posted on social media. 'REMEMBER, you still have to get reelected.' All told, the Senate bill includes some $4 trillion in tax cuts, making permanent Trump's 2017 rates, which would expire at the end of the year if Congress fails to act, while adding the new ones he campaigned on, including no taxes on tips. Advertisement The Senate package would roll back billions in green energy tax credits that Democrats warn will wipe out wind and solar investments nationwide, and impose $1.2 trillion in cuts, largely to Medicaid and food stamps, by imposing work requirements and making sign-up eligibility more stringent. Additionally, the bill would provide a $350 billion infusion for border and national security, including for deportations, some of it paid for with new fees charged to immigrants. If the Senate can pass the bill, it would need to return to the House. Speaker Mike Johnson has told lawmakers to be on call for a return to Washington this week. Democrats ready to fight all night Unable to stop the march toward passage of the 940-page bill, the Democrats as the minority party in Congress is using the tools at its disposal to delay and drag out the process. Democrats forced a full reading of the text, which took some 16 hours. Then senators took over the debate, filling the chamber with speeches, while Republicans largely stood aside. 'Reckless and irresponsible,' said Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan. 'A gift to the billionaire class,' said Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Sen. Patty Murray, the ranking Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, raised particular concern about the accounting method being used by the Republicans, which says the tax breaks from Trump's first term are now 'current policy' and the cost of extending them should not be counted toward deficits. 'In my 33 years here in the United States Senate, things have never — never — worked this way,' said Murray, the longest-serving Democrat on the Budget Committee. Advertisement She said that kind of 'magic math' won't fly with Americans trying to balance their own household books. 'Go back home and try that game with your constituents,' she said. 'We still need to kick people off their health care — that's too expensive. We still need to close those hospitals — we have to cut costs. And we still have to kick people off SNAP — because the debt is out of control.' Sanders said Tillis' decision not to seek reelection shows the hold that Trump's cult of personality has over the GOP. 'We are literally taking food out of the mouths of hungry kids,' Sanders said, while giving tax breaks to Jeff Bezos and other wealthy billionaires. GOP leaders unfazed Republicans are using their majorities to push aside Democratic opposition, and appeared undeterred, even as they have run into a series of political and policy setbacks. 'We're going to pass the 'Big, beautiful bill,' said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., the Budget Committee chairman. The holdout Republicans remain reluctant to give their votes, and their leaders have almost no room to spare, given their narrow majorities. Essentially, they can afford three dissenters in the Senate, with its 53-47 GOP edge, and about as many in the House, if all members are present and voting. Trump, who has at times allowed wiggle room on his deadline, kept the pressure on lawmakers to finish. He threatened to campaign aginst Tillis, who was worried that Medicaid cuts would leave many without health care in his state. Trump badgered Tillis again on Sunday morning, saying the senator 'has hurt the great people of North Carolina.' Advertisement Later Sunday, Tillis issued a lengthy statement announcing he would not seek reelection in 2026. In an impassioned evening speech, Tillis shared his views arguing the Senate approach is a betrayal of Trump's promise not to kick people off health care. 'We could take the time to get this right,' he thundered. But until then, he said he would remain opposed. Democrats can't filibuster, but can stall Using a congressional process called budget reconciliation, the Republicans can rely on a simple majority vote in the Senate, rather than the typical 60-vote threshold needed to overcome objections. Without the filibuster, Democrats have latched on to other tools to mount their objections. One is the full reading of the bill text, which has been done in past situations. Democrats also intend to use their full 10 hours of available debate time, now underway. And then Democrats are prepared to propose dozens of amendments to the package, a process called vote-a-rama. But Republicans late Sunday postponed that expected overnight session to early Monday. GOP senators to watch As Saturday's vote tally teetered, attention turned to Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, who was surrounded by GOP leaders in intense conversation. She voted 'yes.' Several provisions in the package are designed for her state in Alaska, but some were out of compliance of the strict rules by the Senate parliamentarian. A short time later, Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., drew holdouts Sen. Rick Scott of Florida, Mike Lee of Utah and Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming to his office. Vance joined in. Later, Scott said, 'We all want to get to yes.' Associated Press writers Ali Swenson, Fatima Hussein and Michelle L. Price contributed to this report.
CBS News
an hour ago
- CBS News
Immigration activists hold emergency town hall as DHS prepares to end TPS for Haitians living in U.S.
A group of activists in North Miami gathered to discuss resources and strategies for South Florida's Haitian community, just days after the Department of Homeland Security announced that Temporary Protection Status (TPS) would end for the hundreds of thousands of Haitians in the United States. Members of the community are on edge after the decision was made. Passionate testimony of Haitian leaders in South Florida echoed through The Katz restaurant and bar in North Miami on Sunday evening. The meeting discussed the Trump administration's decision to terminate TPS for about 500,000 Haitians in the U.S., effective in September. "I don't think 10 weeks is necessarily a sufficient amount of time for someone to disconnect themselves if they've been in this country for 15 years," said Sandra Cherfrere, an immigration attorney and advocate. South Florida Haitians expressed how they felt when they heard the news. "I was in tears because I felt so betrayed that they were telling the American people that Haiti is 'okay' when as an American citizen who is of Haitian descent, I know that is not safe," said Naomi Esther Blemur, executive director, balancing life and advocate. "That right now in Port-au-Prince, there are no flights, and it's been months since there have been no flights in Port-au-Prince." According to the United Nations Human Rights Office, about 2,700 Haitians have been murdered within the first six months of 2025. About 300,000 Haitians live in the Miami area. "Take your child from all the comforts in America and go back and live in Haiti with me, where we may or may not have a place that has inside plumbing, for example," Cherfrere said. Sunday's public meeting was to give legal advice and options to Haitians living in the Miami area, but many advocates fear those on TPS may have less time than they think. "The administration may not wait until Sept. 2 to start picking up people whose TPS is going to expire because, as of right now, I know for a fact that there are individuals [who] have provided TPS applications who are in detention, right? So, I know those families are probably scrambling, trying to get things together," Cherfrere said. "I know people who are already trying to make arrangements to go to Canada or somewhere else." The Trump administration has also ended protections for immigrants from countries such as Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua.
Hamilton Spectator
an hour ago
- Hamilton Spectator
James Walkinshaw wins Democratic contest to likely replace US Rep. Connolly in northern Virginia
FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) — Democrats and Republicans chose candidates in northern Virginia on Saturday who will vie to replace the late U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly, a Democrat who served the congressional district in the Washington suburbs for 16 years. Democrats chose James Walkinshaw, who currently serves on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors — which oversees the local budget and policies. Republicans picked Stewart Whitson, an Army veteran and former FBI agent. The candidates will compete in a special election on Sept. 9 to represent Virginia's 11th Congressional District, which is home to more than 700,000 people and includes Fairfax, Reston and Vienna. Political observers have said that the district's Democratic primary likely will determine Connolly's successor in what has become a reliably Democratic district. Connolly, who most recently held a prominent position as the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, died last month after battling esophageal cancer. The 75-year-old's death left House Republicans with a 220-212 majority in Congress. The so-called 'firehouse primaries' for the special election were run by the political parties, not local governments or the Virginia Department of Elections, according to Fairfax County's website. Walkinshaw, who previously served as Connolly's chief of staff for more than a decade, was viewed as the frontrunner leading up to the Democratic primary. He had received Connolly's endorsement before the congressman passed away. Walkinshaw bested 9 other candidates for the Democratic nomination. 'I'm honored and humbled to have earned the Democratic nomination for the district I've spent my career serving,' Walkinshaw said in a written statement posted to X on Saturday. 'This victory was powered by neighbors, volunteers and supporters who believe in protecting our democracy, defending our freedoms, and delivering for working families.' The Republican nominee, meanwhile, said in a statement that it was 'time to fight' to flip the seat. 'With President Trump back in office he's taking bold and aggressive action to get the country back on track,' Whitson said. 'But he needs strong allies in Congress who will help him fix the economy, protect our families, and restore common sense.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
