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Resident raises concerns about ICE MOA; police chief responds that department has not shared information with ICE
Summary
A resident read sections of an MOA that they said allow warrantless arrests and profiling; police chief told the council the department had "shared nothing with ICE" and described the agreement as longstanding cooperation with federal agencies tied to funding.
During public comment a resident read passages from an MOA and argued the agreement delegates significant arrest authority and detainer practices to participating law-enforcement officers. The resident read aloud the MOA’s stated purpose, saying it "sets forth the terms and conditions pursuant to which selecting, law enforcement personnel will be nominated, trained, and thereby, approved, by ICE to perform certain functions as an immigration officer under the direction and supervision of ICE within the Leon's jurisdiction," and warned that section 5 could create warrantless arrest authority and profiling risks.
Police Chief (addressing the council) disputed the characterization that the city was implementing new ICE-driven practices. The chief said the department has had agreements with federal partners historically and that "we have shared nothing with ICE despite the fact that any federal agency at our call will... come in and assist" and explained the agreements are often tied to federal grant funding requirements. The chief said the department had not spent city funds on ICE activity and characterized the agreement as cooperation rather than a change in enforcement tactics.
The exchange left the claim unresolved for the meeting record; the chief said copies of agreements are available and that the department provided documents to counsel and news outlets.
