On Sunday, March 1, dozens of people gathered for an event at the United Church of Gainesville about local ICE activity.
The event was hosted by Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward, School Board Member Sarah Rockwell, County Commissioner Anna Prizzia and Sheriff Chad Scott.
There had been rumors spread on Facebook saying that 75 ICE agents had booked a hotel in downtown Gainesville. The rumor was dismissed as false by Ward. The rumor prompted attendees to seek clarity and reassurance, but what they received from the dais was a more complicated message about the limits of local power.
Posters saying to cancel 287(g) agreements were placed on many seats. However, Rockwell and Scott both defended 287(g) agreements, saying that they help keep ICE out.
Sheriff Chad Scott argued that his deputies are not immigration agents and that the 287(g) program, as implemented locally, creates a firewall. He stated that it allows his office to book someone into jail on state charges without holding them for ICE unless a federal warrant is presented. He characterized it as a way to maintain local control…