Commissioner urges pause on Sanford's 287(g) agreement; attorney urges legal review
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Summary
A Sanford commissioner proposed suspending the city's 287(g) agreement with federal immigration enforcement, citing community trust and legal concerns. The city attorney recommended against immediate suspension and said he will review the commissioner's memo before advising next steps.
A Sanford commissioner asked the City Commission on Monday to put the city's participation in the 287(g) immigration-enforcement agreement on hold while officials study the legal and community implications.
The commissioner (Speaker 2) said the proposal is not a cancellation but would suspend the February agreement while reaffirming cooperation on federal warrants for serious violent crimes and joint task forces "unrelated to immigration enforcement." The commissioner cited national and state actions by other jurisdictions, potential erosion of community trust and civil-rights concerns, and asked whether Sanford can legally suspend the agreement.
"Can we legally suspend 287(g) in the city of Sanford?" the commissioner asked, saying she wanted to put the issue on the record for her district and the residents she'd spoken with.
City Attorney Green (Speaker 9) responded that he would review the memo provided by the commissioner but would not recommend suspension at this time. Green cited federal and state legal considerations, the 2019 prohibition on sanctuary cities and potential legal exposure for the city, and asked the commission not to take immediate action without a digestible legal analysis.
Chief Smith (Speaker 5) said the department is providing information in the monthly reports and noted that federal grant reporting asks whether the department participates in cooperative programs. He described the department's community engagement work and said officers are active with diverse groups in the city.
No formal motion to suspend was adopted at the meeting. The city attorney said he will review the commissioner's memo and return with a written analysis, giving commissioners a chance to consider legal risks before any formal action.
The matter remains under discussion; the commissioner asked the attorney to advise the commission on whether suspension is legally permissible and what penalties — if any — the state could pursue.