Public raises concerns over ICE memorandum of agreement; police chief says program targets criminal aliens

Dozens of residents addressed the Ocala City Council on May 20, 2025, to oppose a memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the Ocala Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The meeting featured lengthy public comment from residents, activists and local workers, and a presentation from Police Chief Mike Balkan clarifying how his department will use the agreement.

Speakers at the public-comment portion repeatedly expressed concern that local officers would be empowered to question or detain people ‘‘believed to be an alien’’ without judicial oversight. David Boston, a local resident, said the MOA ‘‘drags our beloved city directly into the heart of a contentious national political debate’’ and argued the agreement would ‘‘breed suspicion and distrust among neighbors.’’ Fernando Fernandez, a paraprofessional at Forest High School, warned the agreement ‘‘would authorize local officers to identify and remove criminal aliens without warrants or proof of felonies’’ and said that would undermine due process.

Chief Balkan responded to the concerns and described the agreement’s intended scope. He traced the authority to the 287(g) framework that allows designated local officers to partner with ICE for criminal immigration enforcement and said the city’s participation is intended to apply to people with a criminal predicate. ‘‘I am not interested in going to horse farms. I am not interested in going to schools,’’ Balkan said. ‘‘I am interested in arresting you once you've committed a criminal act. And then if you are a criminal alien, then referring you to ICE for potential deportation proceedings. That's what we're talking about.’’

Balkan said the department has worked on multiagency task forces for years — with the FBI, DEA and Homeland Security Investigations — and that routine joint operations predate the MOA. He acknowledged staffing and cost concerns, saying any additional cost would likely take the form of overtime when officers are assigned to assist ICE-related work. He also reiterated that the city can terminate such agreements; later in the meeting the mayor and council said they would brief the public further.

Public commenters questioned legal and moral consequences, possible profiling and the fiscal impact of cooperating with immigration enforcement. Several speakers said the agreement would discourage immigrant residents from reporting crimes or seeking help. Others urged the city to terminate the agreement or never implement it. No vote on terminating or ratifying a new agreement appears in the meeting record; the chief offered to answer follow-up questions and city leaders said they would continue communication with the public on the topic.