Latest news with #287g
CBS News
22-07-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
City of Keller plans to help ICE arrest, deport undocumented immigrants amid political debates
The mayor of Keller, who recently announced he will seek a state senate seat, said he's ready to start helping ICE officials in arresting and deporting immigrants in the country illegally. It's a controversial move that Armin Mizani is defending. In a recent announcement, Mizani made clear his intention to sign the city up for a program known as 287-g, a federal partnership with ICE. "That would make the city of Keller the first city in the county, the fourth city in the entire state, and the largest city in the entire state to do so," said Mizani Under the 287-g agreement, Keller would participate in what is known as the jail model, where jailers at the Keller jail, which is also used by neighboring cities, would flag, detain, and hand over arrestees to ICE who are in the country illegally. Historically, the Keller community has not been one that has had a problem with illegal immigration. So, is there a problem with illegal immigration now? "I will just say this very simply," said Mizani. "In Keller, we have had nearly 2,000 people arrested and detained in our Keller jail each and every year... every year we have had roughly about 31 people. If you look at the last two years, the total has been 31 people who have actually been in the country illegally and were detained at the Keller jail. To me, that's a staggering number." Mizani said the move is about strengthening public safety. "Keep in mind, in Keller, we have been doing this now for two years," Mizani said. "We never formally opted into the program. So to me, public safety is something that is not negotiable, and at the end of the day, we are going to do what we can to strengthen that." Tarrant County already has the same agreement at its jail, but Mizani said it won't be redundant because not everyone arrested in his city is transferred to the county facility. He said the intention to collaborate with ICE will send a strong message. "If you are going to pass through Keller or Southlake, or Roanoke, or Westlake or Colleyville and you are here illegally and you decide to commit a crime... the message is we will find out who you are and report it to the federal authorities," said Mizani. The plan is still not in effect. The Keller City Council is expected to vote on it on August 5.
Fox News
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Florida tourist hotspot nearly becomes sanctuary city before leaders reverse ICE policy
A Florida city walked back its decision to defy an agreement with federal immigration authorities, sparking intense public backlash just days after the initial vote. In a stunning reversal, Key West city commissioners voted Tuesday to reinstate local law enforcement's collaboration with federal immigration efforts, ultimately bowing to pressure from state leaders. The divisive decision comes one week after the commission opted to end the city's implementation of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's 287(g) agreement in a 5-1 vote, which would allow cooperation between federal agents and local law enforcement. ICE did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. Commissioner Lissette Carey stood as the sole vote against dissolving the program last week, and subsequently voted in the majority at Tuesday's meeting. "We absolutely have to support and follow the law of our state and federal government," Commissioner Lissette Carey told Fox News Digital. "I was shocked that I was the standalone vote and that my colleagues didn't understand the severity of terminating the agreement." As the commission voted 4-2 to reinstate the agreement, constituents attending the meeting were heard shouting at the officials before walking out in protest. Commissioners Monika Haskell, Samuel Kaufman, Donald Lee and Aaron Castillo did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. Commissioner Mary Lou Hoover declined to comment on the vote. Initial confusion regarding the validity of the decision drew criticism from constituents throughout the state's southernmost community, with the city's police chief, Sean Brandenburg, signing the initial agreement. "[The commissioners] took an interesting position on [the agreement], stating that it was never valid to begin with," Carey said. In Tuesday's vote, Carey looked to clarify the legality of the initial agreement after it was signed by the chief of police, instead of City Manager Brian Barroso. "I've wanted clarity on that," Carey said. "The city manager is supposed to sign those agreements, but he authorized the police chief to do so." According to Carey, city officials informed her that it was common practice for the police chief to sign memorandums of understanding. "The commissioner that proposed amendments asked to change 'reinstating' into 'entering into,'" Carey said. "In other words, it was never a valid contract to begin with. So it is recognized via the resolution that this is a reinstatement, which to me says it was valid to begin with and canceled." Both Barroso and Brandenburg's administrations declined Fox News Digital's request for comment. The mayor's office and city attorney did not immediately respond. The vote follows increasing pressure from Gov. Ron DeSantis' administration after officials slammed local leaders for dissolving the agreement and promised consequences if the commission did not ultimately choose to reverse the decision. "The City of Key West violated state law when they voted to void the Key West Police Department's 287(g) agreement with ICE," Florida attorney general James Uthmeier previously wrote in a social media post in response to the initial vote. Uthmeier went on to accuse the commissioners of creating a sanctuary city — an illegal practice within Florida — adding, "They have a choice: stop impeding law enforcement from enforcing immigration law or face the consequences." Carey believes the reversal came in response to Uthmeier's letter to the commissioners, vowing "civil and criminal penalties, including removal from office" if the decision was not immediately walked back. "I think some of our commission members took that very seriously," Carey told Fox News Digital. "So they called for the emergency meeting in order to rectify what they had done a week prior." Immediately following the revised decision, Uthmeier praised the commissioners' course reversal. "Great to see the City of Key West heeding our warning and reversing course by reinstating their participation in ICE's 287(g) program," Uthmeier said in a social media post. "Florida requires cities to commit best efforts to help the Trump administration enforce immigration law, and Floridians expect nothing less." The vote comes as the City of South Miami is currently suing the DeSantis administration after a special state legislative session passed a bill in February placing additional responsibilities on local governments within the state to cooperate with ICE. The lawsuit is asking the state to not require South Miami law enforcement to enter a 287(g) while also not automatically declaring a sanctuary city. Key West's city commission ultimately voted against joining South Miami in its lawsuit against the state. With the reinstated decision, local law enforcement is set to aid in immigration enforcement efforts throughout the city — a move Carey believes is positive for her constituents. "While some residents and local leaders thought that this was not good for the city of Key West, I actually spoke with immigrants who are here legally and were upset by the action that was taken," Carey said. "At least when our local law enforcement is working with ICE, they recognize and personally know some of the immigrants that are here legally." Carey pointed to her own family's history of immigration, with her mother moving from Cuba with her family when she was just seven years old. "My mother came with her siblings and my grandparents to escape communism," Carey told Fox News Digital. "It is so very important to upload the law and support legal immigration for the safety and security of our country."
CBS News
01-07-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Key West commission votes to end ICE immigration enforcement agreement
The Key West commission has voted to end the city's immigration enforcement agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to Residents packed City Hall on Monday night and voiced their concerns during the nearly two-hour long public comment section. In the end, commissioners voted 6-1 to approve a resolution that calls on the city manager and police chief to end the city's 287(g) agreement with ICE, according to The agreement, which was signed March 4, was put in place by the city's police chief, but did not have the commission's approval. The resolution also directs the city manager and police chief to "refrain" from entering into any new agreements "until the courts have ruled on the obligations imposed on local governments," according to The resolution also states that the city's police department will assist in federal immigration enforcement when requested. Federal program gives immigration enforcement authority The 287(g) agreement is a federal program that deputizes local law enforcement to enforce immigration laws. It gives them the authority to stop, question, and arrest individuals suspected of being in the country unlawfully. Every sheriff's office in the state has signed this agreement. In voiding the agreement, the Key West commission has defied the wishes of Gov. Ron DeSantis who has pushed for statewide participation in the 287(g) program. The governor has asked the legislature to give him the power to suspend law enforcement officials who refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier posted on X after the commission's vote that "The City of Key West will be hearing from my office very soon."
The Guardian
25-06-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Protesters rally at US sheriffs meeting to oppose partnerships with immigration authorities
US immigration rights advocates rallied on Tuesday outside a national gathering of sheriffs to protest local law enforcement's increasing cooperation with federal immigration authorities under Donald Trump's deportation agenda. A group of activists protested outside the National Sheriffs' Association annual conference, where sheriffs came from across the US to meet at the Broward county convention center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with protesters calling on attendees to prioritize local community safety over assisting with federal immigration enforcement. Around 30 activists represented a coalition that included the Florida Immigrant Coalition, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the National Council of Jewish Women, and the campaign group Sheriff Accountability Action. The groups presented a letter signed by more than 12,000 people urging sheriffs across the country to withdraw from controversial 287(g) agreements. Such agreements facilitate local law enforcement collaborating directly with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice), the federal agency within the Department of Homeland Security, including deputizing county and local officers to act as federal immigration officers. In Florida, every county sheriff's department in the state has entered into some form of 287(g) agreement. Some California cities such as Hollywood and West Palm Beach are also participating, as well as others. Broward county sheriff Gregory Tony had drawn criticism from other state officials after publicly stating that immigration enforcement was not a priority for his department and that he would not participate in federal immigration raids, according to the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Tony subsequently received a warning letter from Florida's attorney general, James Uthmeier. 'These entities that are supposedly in charge of protecting and serving us are now being pitted against us by our state policies,' Ana Maria Hernandez, an organizer with the Florida Immigrant Coalition, told the Sun Sentinel. 'Our elected officials support 287(g) agreements in the name of public safety, but we know that that's false.' An analysis by the Guardian showed that previous requirements for close oversight of local law enforcement have been overridden as the Trump administration has brought back an aggressive partnership model in the form of 287(g) agreements that had been paused more than a decade ago amid concerns about civil rights abuses. In many parts, local law enforcement and local government refuse to assist federal immigration enforcement, including in so-called sanctuary cities. Meanwhile, tensions over aggressive immigration enforcement flared on the opposite side of the country. In South Portland, Oregon, protests outside the local Ice facility turned chaotic late Tuesday night, as federal agents deployed flash bangs and pepper balls to disperse demonstrators, according to local channel KOIN. Video showed an apparently injured protester being dragged and arrested by Ice agents. The protests followed a Portland City Council meeting earlier that evening, where public concern over Ice activity was a focus of the discussion. The Ice facility has been the site of frequent protests in recent weeks, as local residents push back against expanded federal immigration operations targeting a wide swath of people.
Fox News
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Large city signs onto deal with ICE: 'Keep the American people safe'
City commissioners in Miami, Florida, voted 3-2 on Tuesday to allow police officers to work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The city entered a 287(g) partnership with ICE, which various cities use to assist with federal enforcement using different methods. It's a sharp contrast to some governments throughout the United States, especially in major cities, which do not allow local or state authorities to help enforce immigration laws. "We value our partnerships with state and local law enforcement, and the success of the 287(g) program allows for a force multiplier in enforcing immigration laws," an ICE spokesperson said in a statement. "This whole-of-government approach enables law enforcement partners to protect cities across the nation from public safety and national security threats, and we encourage others across the country to join." In February, Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an Executive Order for state-level law enforcement to establish agreements with ICE to assist in the Trump administration's deportation efforts. "Florida is setting the example for states in combating illegal immigration and working with the Trump Administration to restore the rule of law," DeSantis said at the time. "By allowing our state agents and law enforcement officers to be trained and approved by ICE, Florida will now have more enforcement personnel deputized to assist federal partners. That means deportations can be carried out more efficiently, making our communities safer as illegal aliens are removed." However, there was opposition to entering the agreement from some residents and groups like the American Civil Liberties Union and the Florida Immigrant Coalition. "This is a shameful day for Miami," Dariel Gomez, Statewide Organizer with the ACLU of Florida said in a press release. "With their vote, commissioners chose fear over facts, and division over unity. This agreement will not make us safer – it will only spread fear and isolate the very people who make our city strong." "287(g) doesn't belong in any city, but especially not in Miami – a place shaped by immigrants, built by immigrants, and powered by immigrants," Tessa Petit, Executive Director of the Florida Immigrant Coalition, said in a statement. "More than half of our residents are foreign-born. The commissioners who voted to implement this ruthless program have turned their back on the very community they were put into office to protect. They are turning our diversity into a target." However, the White House told Fox News Digital the city's decision was ultimately the right move. "President Trump's promise to deport illegal aliens is a key plank of his agenda to Make America Safe Again. The Administration is always grateful to work with state and local officials to get dangerous criminals off the streets and keep the American people safe." Abigail Jackson, White House spokeswoman, stated. In April, a massive ICE operation in collaboration with Florida authorities led to the arrest of 1,120 illegal immigrants, and the agency said 63% of them had "existing criminal arrests or convictions," and many had alleged gang affiliations.
