Florida Mayor Reveals Coercion Behind County ICE Cooperation Agreement

During a recent announcement of a new partnership with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Orange County, Florida's mayor, Jerry Demings, revealed that his decision to cooperate was made "under protest and in extreme duress." Demings explained that he was compelled to sign the agreement due to threats from Governor Ron DeSantis and Attorney General James Uthmeier, who threatened to suspend local officials from their positions. The accord permits ICE to involve local law enforcement personnel, including correctional officers, in detaining and transporting individuals suspected of violating immigration laws to federal detention centers. "Yes, I signed the document because we were in a difficult situation. We faced the risk of removal from office," Demings stated at a press conference in Orlando. He added, "I signed under protest and extreme duress," but believed it was the appropriate action at the time. He also clarified that Orange County has never adopted sanctuary policies and cited staffing and budget concerns as reasons for his initial reservations. The county's board of commissioners is scheduled to vote on approving the agreement later this week. Governor DeSan...