Tallahassee Police Department faces community backlash for voluntary ICE agreement

Tallahassee, FL – On Wednesday, March 26, the chamber of the Tallahassee City Commission was packed with community members from across the city to speak on a variety of issues, such as a proposed gas station’s environmental impacts and the future ownership of Tallahassee Memorial Hospital. The most pressing issue, however, concerned the Tallahassee Police Department (TPD).

About a dozen members of the Tallahassee Immigrant Rights Alliance (TIRA) spoke during public comment to denounce TPD’s voluntary signing of a 287g agreement and demand its termination.

The 287g agreement is a contract between local law enforcement entities and ICE, which would require certain officers to be trained in and perform special immigration officer functions (usually reserved for ICE agents) during their routine police duties. As of January, all Florida sheriff’s departments in operation of a jail are now legally required to enter these agreements. Political divisions within the community and city commission sharpened over TPD’s signing of a 287g agreement, which is not explicitly mandated by current legislation.

Joelle Nuñez, a member of TIRA and daughter of immigrants, stated, “Tallahassee claims to be a ‘blue bubble’ in a red state. Then why are we kowtowing to the agendas of Trump and DeSantis? Immigrants are hard-working people and they’re very scared right now. We don’t need to add to this by signing these unnecessary agreements. The public did not want this, and nobody is forcing y’all.”

Abdelilah Shakur with the ACLU of Florida stated, “287g agreements do not lower crime, they divert resources. This process is being rushed with no regard for the well-known risk of civil rights violations associated with the program. This program has been known to empower local police to rely on racial or ethnic biases while performing their duties.”

TPD Chief Lawrence Revell, a killer cop, came to the podium at city commission to justify the contract, stating, “This is the most prudent step we can take as an agency and a city. We will continue to enforce the laws as written. It was my decision, made with a lot of legal advice and collaboration with police chiefs across the state.”

Tensions rose as the meeting came to a close at about 9:30 p.m. City Commissioner Jack Porter stated, “The city manager has a responsibility to equip us with the information to make these agreements. This is not a standard MOU agreement, and if you think so, I am extremely concerned about your judgement. Is there a reason that, even after we raised concerns, you just wouldn’t answer our questions? It is our responsibility to jointly hold the city manager accountable.” Porter made a motion to put discussion of the 287g agreement on the next city commission meeting’s agenda, but the motion failed 3 – 2.

The Tallahassee Immigrant Rights Alliance will mobilize to the next city commission meeting in April to fight for the elimination of the 287g agreement and TPD’s collaboration with ICE.

#TallahasseeFL #FL #ImmigrantRights #InJusticeSystem