FORT MYERS, FLA. — The unanimous vote at the Fort Myers emergency city council meeting left many disappointed when the council voted on the new partnership between ICE and FMPD with training and enforcement.
The council confirms that the police have already been working with ICE, but this conversation starts a new partnership with new agreements.
The vote was 7-0.
Fifty-one people participated in public comment, and but only three were in favor of moving forward with the agreement. One of them was a State Representative, HD 78 Jenna Persons-Mulika.
The city shared the count of public comments:
16 - city residents
34 - non city residents
1 - State Rep HD 78 Jenna Persons-Mulika
Watch Fort Myers Community Correspondent Miyoshi Price's report from City Hall:
"For every single member to vote yes, it feels like a slap in the face," says Pamela Vasquez, she hoped for an outcome in her favor. She left disappointed because she did not want the agreement to move forward.
"I'm scared of what it means for people who don't look white enough," says Vasquez.
The line to enter city hall was out the door.
The community showed up to have their voice heard.
Peaceful protesters stood outside with their signs during the entire meeting.
While others filled the council chambers.
Cielo Zenteno opposed the agreement and called the language too vague.
"I think it is purposely vague to allow little caveats and loopholes for racial profiling, for government overstep, and not only that, if you look in the agreement we foot the bill, if an officer in this county gets sued for misconduct, we foot the bill," says Zenteno
But folks like Henry Jackson was pleased the vote was in his favor.
"They came by their own free will, and they broke the law," says Jackson. "Granted, they have families here. They've been working, but they're still not citizens."
Moving forward, he suggested that the department be held accountable by wearing body cameras at all times from start to finish when in contact with an illegal immigrant, "to make sure that we treat other people with the utmost respect," says Jackson.
