Orange County Commissioner Kelly Semrad went to the doctor Monday because she said she hadn’t slept in four days. Commissioner Mike Scott described his emotions as “overwhelmed in ways that I cannot describe.”
Under threat of being thrown out of their elected posts by Gov. Ron DeSantis, the County Commission ultimately voted 5-2 to approve a controversial immigration addendum with the federal government that had put them at odds with the Governor and his appointee, Attorney General James Uthmeier.
In a few emotional moments, county officials spoke about the stress and anger they felt during this political showdown.
The updated contract says Orange County corrections officers can transport U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainees to federally designated facilities. County officials hinted that a lawsuit is likely coming.
Local leaders downplayed the impact of the agreement. Orange County officials argued that counties aren’t legally required to transport federal ICE detainees. Furthermore, County Mayor Jerry Demings said the county also doesn’t have enough capacity due to its jail being understaffed and grappling with more than 200 vacant corrections officer jobs.
Demings elaborated Tuesday that he did not expect corrections officers to be called regularly to drive to Alligator Alcatraz, the detention center in the Everglades.
“I want all of you to know that to date, Orange County Corrections has never been requested to provide transport officers and may never be requested to transport ICE detainees,” he said.
“In other words, the addendum requires communication. It is our belief that if such a request is ever made, we will have the opportunity at that time to engage in conversation about our operational readiness and capacity to honor such a request. … So by signing the agreement, we thwarted the calamity of the potential removal from office of our entire Commission.”
Demings already signed it Friday before it went to the full board. DeSantis visited Orlando last week, sparking officials’ fears that he was going to act and suspend them like he did Orange-Osceola State Attorney Monique Worrell in 2023.
“If others had been appointed, the damage that they could do in a short period of time could be irreparable,” Demings said.
Uthmeier’s threats of expulsion are based on vaguely written law, County Attorney Jeff Newton said.
“Florida Statutes requires local government entities use their best efforts to support the enforcement of federal immigration law,” Newton said. “I call that the sort of catch-all phrase — ‘best efforts.’ It is deliberately, I believe, ambiguous.”
Before the vote, Newton warned that county officials “have a dilemma.”
“And despite the fact that I disagree with the Attorney General, in terms of his interpretation of ‘best efforts’ … it is buttressed by something that I have not seen in my 41 years of practicing law … a threat to remove each and every one of you from office,” Newman said. He added that it “would be the saddest day, in my opinion, in Orange County.”
Commissioner Nicole Wilson and Semrad were the two “no” votes.
“They said you’ve got to pick your hill to die on. I’ll pick that hill all day,” Semrad said, insisting that the county is obeying federal immigration laws. “I don’t believe in this form of government when I’m being forced to vote in a certain way under threat of removal.”
The county’s discussion Tuesday drew 60 people who signed up to speak during public comment as immigration advocates urged County Commissioners to keep fighting and file a lawsuit.
“Do not be bullied by someone who resorts to unlawful tactics to get their way,” said Kevin Parker, a Kissimmee organizer from Florida Immigrant Coalition. “Be brave with us.”
County officials have listened to immigration advocates before, reversing a decision to identify jail inmates being held on immigration detainers in order to help families keep track of their loved ones in the system, the Orlando Sentinel reported last month.
Several people Tuesday offered messages of encouragement for the county officials.
“I stand with you, Mr. Mayor,” former Sen. Victor Torres said during public comment. ‘I applaud because you live to fight another day.”
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