Minutes after the City Commission officially voted on his appointment, Miami’s new city manager said his administration will be reviewing the city’s controversial decision to enter an immigration enforcement agreement, called a 287(g) agreement, with ICE last year.
“We will be evaluating everything, including the 287(g) agreement,” James Reyes told reporters at City Hall on Thursday. “I can tell you, as it relates to 287(g), obviously, we’re going to follow the law. … But we’re also going to ensure that our law enforcement is focusing on our community, protecting our community and enforcing municipal and state laws.”
Reyes, the head of public safety for Miami-Dade County who was the Democratic nominee for Miami-Dade sheriff in 2024, stopped short of saying the city would officially seek to exit the agreement. Newly elected Mayor Eileen Higgins — who selected Reyes — has been a vocal critic of the city’s decision to enter into the ICE agreement in June, although she cautioned that she was unsure whether the city has the legal authority to exit it…