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Hialeah council approves memorandum of agreement with ICE after heated public comment
Summary
The City Council approved a memorandum of agreement (MOA) allowing selected Hialeah Police officers to provide operational assistance to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Residents urged rejection during public comment; city officials said the agreement formalizes existing cooperation and provides optional training.
The Hialeah City Council voted to approve a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that allows the mayor, chief of police and city clerk to enter into the agreement on behalf of the city.
Supporters and opponents made competing arguments at the March meeting. Several residents told the council the MOA would harm immigrant communities and divert local police resources; during public comment Julio Rodriguez said the MOA would “make our local police officers immigration officials” and urged placing the matter on the ballot. Tony Masa Olivera cited studies of costs and civil‑rights problems in other jurisdictions and called the agreement “expensive, unnecessary and harmful.”
City officials, including Chief George Fuentes of the Hialeah Police Department, said the MOA does not change day‑to‑day…
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