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yesterday

Orange County Commissioners Ratify ICE Transport Pact Under State Threat

Framed as a defense against a potential governor-appointed board, the vote drew sharp criticism from activists, prompting threats of legal action.

Orange County Commissioner Kelly Martinez Semrad speaks before a Board of County Commissioners meeting in Orlando on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025. Semrad later voted against an agreement allowing local corrections officers to transport immigrant detainees to federal detention centers. But the agreement passed 5-2 under intense pressure from Gov. Ron DeSantis. (Stephen Hudak/Orlando Sentinel)
Demonstrators gather in front of the Orange County Administration Building in Orlando on Monday, Aug. 4, 2025, to protest Orange County Mayor Deming's recent reversal on OCSO cooperation with ICE. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings with a copy of the letter he received from Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier on Friday.

Overview

  • Orange County commissioners voted 5-2 on Tuesday to ratify a 287(g) amendment after Mayor Jerry Demings said he signed the pact under protest and “extreme duress” following threats from Governor Ron DeSantis and Attorney General James Uthmeier.
  • Commissioners Nicole Wilson and Kelly Martinez Semrad opposed the agreement, warning that state coercion undermines local authority and could erode democratic control.
  • Supporters of ratification argued that approval was necessary to prevent a DeSantis-appointed board from replacing noncompliant officials under Florida’s ambiguous “best efforts” law.
  • About 60 residents packed the commission meeting chamber in Orlando and roughly 30 protesters gathered outside carrying signs decrying the use of local tax dollars for ICE operations.
  • State Representative Anna Eskamani and several commissioners indicated they will pursue litigation to clarify or challenge the state’s mandate on local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.