Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier warned the Fort Myers City Council on Tuesday that its recent vote rejecting cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) constitutes a “direct violation of Florida law” and could lead to “criminal penalties.”
The rejected agreement, voted down on Monday, would have allowed Fort Myers police officers to receive federal training to detain and arrest illegal aliens as part of ICE enforcement efforts. Uthmeier responded in a letter to the city, emphasizing that Florida law “prohibits law enforcement and local government entities from adopting or having in effect any sanctuary policy.”
The letter defined a sanctuary policy as any action that “prohibits or impedes a law enforcement agency from complying[,] […] communicating or cooperating with a federal immigration agency so as to limit such law enforcement agency in, or prohibit the agency from participating in a federal immigration operation.”
“Prohibiting city police officers from receiving the necessary federal training to adequately enforce U.S. immigration laws not only prevents city police from enforcing current federal immigration law but effectively prevents the city police department from participating in federal immigration operations,” Uthmeier wrote, demanding “immediate corrective action.”
Failure to comply, he warned, would result in “enforcement of all applicable civil and criminal penalties, including but not limited to being held in contempt, declaratory or injunctive relief, and removal from office by the Governor.”
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis also weighed in, reiterating that local entities are “required” to assist in federal immigration enforcement.
Two city council members, Councilwomen Darla Bonk and Diana Giraldo, became emotional while voting against the measure. Bonk wiped away tears, stating, “It is a tumultuous day and age, and this is a day I hate sitting in the seat, but my city is not for sale.”
Giraldo, an immigrant herself, expressed personal distress over the decision, saying, “Although this isn’t about me particularly, I have been in that position, and I can’t even express how heavy this is in my heart and in my mind.”
Fort Myers Mayor Kevin Anderson, who supported the measure, clarified that the agreement was not about aggressive immigration raids but ensuring police could properly handle encounters with illegal aliens who commit crimes. “This is allowing our police officers, our police department, to do a better job,” he stated. “It’s not what it’s portrayed to be.”
