NORTH PORT, Fla. — The City of North Port could be the next Southwest Florida city to enter into an agreement with with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to help enforce immigration laws.
The agreement allows police officers to assist federal immigration authorities through ICE’s 287(g) program. Police officers would be selected and trained to interrogate suspected undocumented immigrants, issue ICE detainers, and serve ICE arrest warrants, among other duties typically done by federal immigration agents.
Watch Fox 4's Alex Orenczuk report on North Port's stance on the ICE agreement:
North Port Police Chief Todd Garrison told Fox 4 he supports the program and plans to bring it before the city commission for a vote.
“I support the agreement 100%,” said Garrison. “However, it does have to go in front of my city commission, and the commission is going to have to vote on it.”
The issue has sparked debate across Southwest Florida. On Monday, the Fort Myers City Council voted down the agreement in a 3-3 tie, which was criticized by state officials, including Governor Ron DeSantis. On Tuesday, Punta Gorda’s City Council unanimously approved the agreement.
During a round table discussion on Thursday, DeSantis said local governments must comply with state law regarding immigration enforcement.
“It's not a policy question at this point of whether they should be involved in it,” said DesSantis. “Under our law, they must be involved in it, and that will happen one way or another, and we will get that done.”
North Port Mayor Phil Stokes gave Fox 4 a brief statement saying “whatever the law is, we’ll follow it.”
Garrison didn’t say exactly when he will bring the agreement to the city commission for a vote, but said he hopes to do so soon. The next time that would be possible is at the next city commission meeting on April 4.
