PUNTA GORDA, Fla. — On Wednesday, Punta Gorda’s City Council will be the latest Southwest Florida municipality to vote on entering into a partnership with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which would allow PGPD officers to take on immigration enforcement duties.
If approved, the city would join ICE's 287(g) program, which would train certain PGPD officers to help with federal immigration enforcement tasks. These officers would be granted “the power and authority to interrogate any alien or person believed to be an alien as to his right to be or remain in the United States,” among other ICE duties.
Watch Fox 4's Alex Orenczuk report on Punta Gorda's proposed agreement with ICE:
Maria Lara, President of Charlotte County’s League of United Latin American Citizens, told Fox 4 that giving city officers these powers could lead to racial profiling and civil rights violations.
“This is outside the auspices of what the city police should be doing in every sense of the word,” said Lara. “I think that raises the question of racial profiling, and I think that is definitely a risk in this context.”
Lara also said immigrants living in Punta Gorda, documented or not, could become fearful of the police.
“If I’m out there speaking Spanish, am I going to be subject to being asked questions? Whether or not I’m a citizen?,” Lara asked.
Fox 4 asked PGPD Chief Pam Smith for clarification on Lara’s concerns, and how officers would carry out these ICE duties if the agreement is approved by council.
“All Punta Gorda Police Officers are expected to adhere to policies that prohibit racial profiling and require constitutional policing. They will continue to be held accountable for protecting the constitutional rights of everyone they encounter,” Smith told Fox 4 in a statement.
Smith added that the department would start with two officers who would use their immigration enforcement authority only during their regular duties.
“No one will have to cover their regular responsibilities. Selected officers will continue in their regular assignments. They will have the authority to execute ICE warrants when they come across a wanted person during their regular duties or as a backup officer if another officer encounters someone wanted on an ICE warrant,” Smith explained.
Additionally, Smith said that ICE would be footing the bill for training and the city would not incur any costs other than paying the officer’s salary during training.
On Monday, the City of Fort Myers voted against entering the agreement in a 3-3 vote. The move prompted state leaders like Congressman Byron Donalds and Governor Ron DeSantis to criticize the council members who voted against the agreement. It also prompted AG James Uthmeier to issue the city a letter stating the move “constitutes a serious and direct violation of Florida Law.
Punta Gorda’s City Council will vote on the agreement during the March 19 meeting which starts at 9 a.m.
