Latest news with #EstebanBovo
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
County Commissioner René Garcia withdraws from Hialeah mayor race. Who else is running?
Miami-Dade County Commissioner René García has formally withdrawn from the Hialeah mayoral race. The move by Garcia, the Miami-Dade District 13 commissioner, confirms what many in political circles had suspected for months. Garcia, whose district includes parts of Hialeah Gardens, Hialeah, Miami Lakes and unincorporated areas of northwest Miami-Dade, filed to run for Hialeah mayor on March 31. But from the start, his remarks cast doubt on whether he truly intended to compete. When asked by the Miami Herald on April 2 about his candidacy, Garcia said he had months to decide whether to resign his county seat to pursue the mayoral post, since Florida's 'resign-to-run' law gives candidates until the city's qualifying window. 'It gives me the chance to talk to the residents of Hialeah and see where I can best serve our community,' he said at the time. On Thursday, Garcia confirmed he would stay on the county commission. 'As Miami-Dade County faces a difficult budget year, now is not the time to step away,' Garcia said in a statement. 'Public service is not about chasing titles; it's about answering the call to serve where you are most needed. I believe I can best serve the people of Hialeah and District 13 by continuing to fight for them on the County Commission.' While many saw Garcia as a natural contender for Hialeah mayor — and he was publicly endorsed by former Mayor Esteban 'Steve' Bovo as the strongest candidate, the race for the city's top seat if far from over. At least six candidates are currently in the running, including Councilman Jesus Tundidor, who resigned his seat Thursday to become effective the day the new mayor is sworn in, and former Councilman Bryan Calvo, who has publicly sparred with Bovo both on the dais and in court over issues like delayed emergency response times and public safety. With one day remaining before the deadline for elected officials to resign in order to qualify for the race, it remains unclear whether Interim Mayor Jacqueline Garcia-Roves — the first woman to serve as mayor of Hialeah — will enter the race or continue in the role until a new mayor is elected. Garcia-Roves, who was re-elected unopposed to the city council in 2023, held a fundraiser last week that brought in over $80,000, a strong signal she may be preparing to launch a campaign. Amid the uncertainty, if Garcia-Roves enters the race it remains unclear whom Garcia will endorse: his protégé Tundidor, who served as his senior legislative aide in the state Senate, or Garcia-Roves, who is aligned with former Mayor Carlos Hernández and whose political career began with Hernández's support in 2019. Hialeah is facing one of its most competitive election cycles in recent memory. Five City Council seats are up for election, including two special elections, one of them for Garcia-Roves' council seat, which remains vacant after the council failed to appoint a temporary replacement, while she serves as acting mayor.
CBS News
12-03-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Hialeah will partner with ICE on immigration enforcement
Hialeah Police will now help federal and state agencies detain undocumented immigrants. During a meeting on Tuesday, the city counsel gave approval for Mayor Esteban Bovo to enter into a partnership agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Six members voted in favor of the partnership agreement, one member was absent. Under the federal 287(g) agreement, Hialeah Police officers will gain the authority to stop, interrogate and arrest individuals suspected of violating immigration laws. The 287(g) program allows state and local law enforcement to collaborate with (ICE) in detaining and deporting undocumented immigrants. Last month, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced a statewide expansion of immigration enforcement, granting all 67 county sheriffs the authority to act as federal immigration agents under the 287(g) program. Residents express concern Some residents who spoke at the meeting said they were concerned about entering the partnership because it would cause mistrust in the community. "My message is do not talk to the police. They took an oath to the Constitution to not violate your rights, which is the Fourth Amendment, okay do not talk to the police. Don't talk to ICE, don't talk to any police officer, okay, because they're trying to incriminate you, to put you away, to take you away from your family," Juan Santana said. It remains to be seen how the agreement will be enforced. When one commissioner asked Hialeah Police Chief George Fuentes if officers would be asking for immigration paperwork when they pull someone over, he replied no. City officials try to calm fears City officials said they don't want immigrants to fear the police. Bovo said the police will just be providing support to ICE agents and they will not be conducting raids at churches. "The police department and Hialeah are here to serve them. If they run into a situation where they need the police, do not hesitate to call police and fire if that is warranted. I think that's the first and most important thing to do. Number two is, if you are here illegally, do not violate the law. Very important. You've already violated the law coming to this country, so I would say be as quiet as a church mouse, that way police don't have to go and knock on your door for some issue," he said. Once a sanctuary for Cubans escaping economic and political oppression, CBS News Miami partner The Miami Herald reports that the city has been wrestling with the presence of new immigrants from Cuba and elsewhere in Latin America. In 2024, Bovo claimed as many as 80,000 Cubans had arrived in Hialeah over the last two years, straining the city's resources. Hialeah is the second city in Miami-Dade to enter such an agreement with the federal government. The recently signed a similar agreement.
