The addendum, if adopted, would require county correctional officers to transfer immigrants detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials on charges of violating federal immigration law to other ICE-approved detention facilities, including the new Everglades detention camp (dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz” by state officials) more than 240 miles away. County commissioners had rejected the addendum to the existing agreement with ICE and the Florida Sheriff’s Association last month, with the understanding that the addendum was voluntary for them to sign and not required under state or federal law. Dozens of community members showed up to the board meeting to plead with them to reject the addendum and ensure due process for immigrants detained as part of a mass deportation campaign initiated by President Donald Trump. “I cry daily watching our communities targeted and families torn apart,” said Tanya Martinez, a member of a location coalition of immigrant rights advocates. “We cannot fuel the ICE machine or turn our local systems into a pipeline to Alligator Alcatraz …where due process goes to die.”
The reversal from Demings comes in response to a threat made by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier earlier this week to potentially remove county leaders from office if they failed to sign it.
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In a letter to Orange County leaders, Uthmeier cited a Florida law that requires local governments to use “best efforts” to assist with federal immigration enforcement. He argued that a failure to sign the addendum would constitute a violation of the law and open county commissioners and the mayor up to a potential removal from office by the governor, as permitted by Florida statutes under certain circumstances.
“I am not going to be bullied by the state AG,” Demings initially shared in a statement the next day. “I find it somewhat ironic that the 37-year-old AG is attacking me, personally attacking our board. I spent more years on the streets of Florida, patrolling as a law enforcement officer, than he’s been alive,” said Demings, who formerly served as Orange County sheriff and Orlando police chief before that…