Orange County residents press commissioners to modify IGSA with ICE; mayor orders legal review
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Summary
More than a dozen public speakers urged Orange County commissioners to modify or sue over the county’s IGSA with ICE, citing alleged unlawful detentions, poor conditions and lack of transparency; Mayor Demings directed the county attorney to explore legal options and said staff will report back by Feb. 10.
Dozens of residents, faith leaders and lawyers told the Orange County Board of County Commissioners on Jan. 27 that the county’s cooperative detention arrangement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has harmed immigrant residents and broken community trust.
Speakers described cases of prolonged detention beyond 72 hours, poor food and water conditions and transfers to federal custody that made legal access difficult. ‘‘Oppose ICE in any and every way,’’ said Alan Levi during the public-comment period. Multiple faith leaders and community attorneys urged the board to file or support litigation to clarify or terminate the county’s IGSA (Intergovernmental Service Agreement) with federal authorities.
Attorney Josephine Arroyo told the board that her firm had successfully secured habeas relief for a client allegedly detained despite having immigration documents, and that reporters had identified more than 138 people held without charges at the county jail. Sabrina Berlin, who said she volunteered with the Coalition on Detention Support, recounted being held for more than a week at Orange County Corrections after a traffic infraction and described unsanitary conditions.
Mayor Demings responded directly to the comments, acknowledging that the county is a subdivision of the state and that legal complexity exists, but he said the administration had instructed the county attorney to ‘‘explore our lawful options’’ concerning the IGSA and related federal contracts. ‘‘We are exploring our legal options,’’ he said, adding that the board had directed the jail to review detention data and that the county would follow up where mistreatment is alleged.
Demings said staff expect to present research and factual findings at the board’s February meeting and that in the interim the county will continue discussions with federal partners. He emphasized the county’s goal of avoiding litigation when possible but said, ‘‘If we have to make some kind of emergency decisions, the authority invested in me as the county mayor in emergencies, I will exercise the authority.’’
County officials also promised to review individual complaints that include dates and specifics and to hold staff accountable if violations are found. Commissioners and staff said they were gathering data on transfers, duration of hold times, and reimbursements the county receives from federal partners. Several speakers called for an immediate lawsuit to modify or end the IGSA; commissioners said they were taking that request under active consideration and would report back with legal options.
Next steps: County staff and the county attorney’s office will continue detailed review and return to the board at the Feb. 10 meeting with findings and recommended options. The public was encouraged to supply specifics and evidence to support investigations of detention conditions.
