Fort Myers Mayor Kevin Anderson Two members cried during the vote Allow cooperation between city police and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
“It’s a bit awkward,” Anderson told Fox 35 Wednesday. “I think there really isn’t an emotional space when we sit on the stands because when we’re excited about things, we don’t always make the best decisions. We need to be strong, we need to use facts, truths and information to make our decisions, not the feelings of emotions.”
Memorandum of agreement will allow city law enforcement to receive training and authorization As an Ice Field Agency Detention and arrest of illegal immigrants, as well as other functions.
On Monday, it failed to pass 3-3 votes and a member of the council was not present. Council members Darla Bonk and Diana Giraldo tore up while expressing the opposition.
Some Fort Myers City Council members cried over memos from city officials who worked with ICE agents. (Fort Myers website)
“It’s a turbulent time. It’s a day when I hate this seat,” Bunker said, and her voice broke down when she talked about the risks of losing state and federal funds. “But my city doesn’t sell.”
“I can’t stand this as an immigrant, the only immigrant sitting on the council,” Girardo said.
Anderson defended the memorandum during the meeting, stressing that it would not give officials the power to go out and find illegal immigrants Convicted.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier responded to the vote Tuesday, asking the city council to change its position or risk civil or criminal penalties for becoming a sheltered city.
“Asia policy is illegal in Florida. Last night’s vote made you a sanctuary city. There may be consequences for this problem,” Uthmeier wrote on Tuesday.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis also responded to the vote in his X post on Tuesday.
“Thanks to the laws we have recently enacted in Florida, local entities must participate in federal immigration enforcement. The 287(g) program trains local law enforcement to help the ice. Florida will ensure that its laws are followed, as well as the laws that follow immigration – the days of inaction are over.
Uthmeier said in a local interview that the punishment could include removal from the office, which Anderson said should worry opponents of the agreement on the board.
“If I were the shoes of someone who voted against, I would be very worried right now. Over the past few years, the Governor has proven that he has taken it very seriously to hold people accountable for public office.”
He added that despite his knowledge of Uthmeier’s complaints, Fort Myers is not a “sanitary city” and despite this issue, public safety is taken very seriously.
“I’m very disappointed and embarrassed by our city,” he said of the vote.
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Mayor Kevin Anderson defended the memorandum, saying it would focus mainly on illegal immigration that committed crimes. (FOX 35 screenshot)
But with state and state focus on the council, Anderson said he would “be confident” to get different results once an emergency meeting was held on Friday to reconsider the memorandum.
The meeting is expected to include an additional council member who was absent from the original meeting and could not vote.
But, after working in public office for a few years, he said, he learned: “You never know how the council will go.”
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