ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Orange County leaders will spend the next month reviewing jail policies after a contentious vote to ratify the jail’s new agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Commissioners voted 5-2 to support the agreement, which allows jail deputies to execute warrants and book people who have deportation orders put on them.
Mayor Jerry Demings said the sheriff’s office estimates 20,000 residents will have such orders attached to their names in the coming weeks, up from the current 10,000.
Although dozens of people turned out to beg commissioners to keep ICE agents away, the county had no choice. State law demanded the county ratify the agreement by April 1, or the commissioners risked the county’s funding and their jobs.
“We do not have options to not enforce the law,” Demings said.
However, the two “no” votes—Nicole Wilson and Kelly Semrad—along with Mayra Uribe—extracted several promises from Demings and staff.
The county will work to up its data collection efforts to track ICE arrests and ensure the information the county receives from the agency is accurate. The jail will also be working to improve its website and other communication methods to ensure families will be able to easily find out if a loved one was booked on a federal hold.
Finally, Demings said the county would re-examine the contract it had with ICE, which reimburses the jail for detainees. Currently, ICE pays the jail $88 per detainee per day. Commissioners said that left taxpayers on the hook for approximately $53.
Staff will spend the next month examining what changes could be made and bring recommendations back to commissioners on April 22.
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