KEY WEST, Fla. — On Monday evening, Key West Metropolis Fee voted by a 6–1 margin to formally void its 287(g) settlement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which beforehand deputized native police to help in immigration enforcement operations.
Town’s settlement was initially signed on March 4, 2025 by Police Chief Sean Brandenburg and the Metropolis Supervisor, with out prior approval by the total fee.
Commissioner Monica Haskell, who sponsored the decision, stated the settlement was invalid from the beginning as a result of it was entered into with out legislative approval. She and 5 different commissioners argued the coverage amounted to an overreach by each federal and state governments, which they stated are pressuring localities into immigration enforcement roles that transcend their conventional tasks.
Police Chief Brandenburg defended his determination to signal the settlement in March, saying he felt legally obligated to take action primarily based on steering from Florida Legal professional Basic James Uthmeier.
Brandenburg stated he acted below the assumption that failure to conform might violate a brand new Florida legislation requiring native cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Nonetheless, a number of commissioners expressed frustration that such a serious coverage change had been carried out with out their information or a public vote.
Throughout the assembly, Commissioner Samuel Kaufman confused that whereas Key West shouldn’t be a sanctuary metropolis, it’s happy with its immigrant communities and won’t permit legislation enforcement to be weaponized towards them.
Commissioner Donald “Donie” Lee recommended the police chief was positioned in an unimaginable place by state management and referred to as the 287(g) settlement a “political setup.”
The decision handed Monday evening formally voids the settlement and instructs metropolis workers to not enter any related contracts sooner or later until compelled by a courtroom order. Town additionally made clear it will proceed to adjust to formal warrants or authorized detainers issued by federal or state authorities however wouldn’t proactively implement immigration legislation.
Following the vote, Uthmeier sharply criticized the fee’s determination, warning that Key West “shall be listening to from [his] workplace very quickly.” The escalating tensions mirror broader authorized and political conflicts enjoying out throughout Florida, the place all 67 county sheriffs have signed related ICE cooperation agreements as a part of Governor Ron DeSantis’ crackdown on unlawful immigration.
The legality of requiring cities—not simply counties—to implement immigration legal guidelines below state mandate is at present the topic of a lawsuit filed by town of South Miami. The case might set a statewide precedent.
Key West’s transfer to reject the settlement might turn out to be a mannequin for different municipalities that want to withstand entanglement with federal immigration enforcement. Advocates say the vote is not only a procedural rebuke, however an ethical stance in protection of immigrant households who’re a part of the material of the island metropolis.
As immigration enforcement ramps up statewide below a renewed federal-state partnership, the fee’s determination marks a uncommon and symbolic stand towards what critics name the criminalization of immigration standing.
The decision handed Monday evening formally voids the settlement and instructs metropolis workers to not enter any related contracts sooner or later until compelled by a courtroom order. Town additionally made clear it will proceed to adjust to formal warrants or authorized detainers issued by federal or state authorities however wouldn’t proactively implement immigration legislation.
Following the vote, Florida Legal professional Basic James Uthmeier sharply criticized the fee’s determination, warning that Key West “shall be listening to from [his] workplace very quickly.” The escalating tensions mirror broader authorized and political conflicts enjoying out throughout Florida, the place all 67 county sheriffs have signed related ICE cooperation agreements as a part of Governor Ron DeSantis’ crackdown on unlawful immigration.
The legality of requiring cities—not simply counties—to implement immigration legal guidelines below state mandate is at present the topic of a lawsuit filed by town of South Miami. The case might set a statewide precedent.
Key West’s transfer to reject the settlement might turn out to be a mannequin for different municipalities that want to withstand entanglement with federal immigration enforcement. Advocates say the vote is not only a procedural rebuke, however an ethical stance in protection of immigrant households who’re a part of the material of the island metropolis.
As immigration enforcement ramps up statewide below a renewed federal-state partnership, the fee’s determination marks a uncommon and symbolic stand towards what critics name the criminalization of immigration standing.
Key West’s determination to reject federal immigration enforcement aligns with its historic legacy of resistance, most notably illustrated by its symbolic secession from the USA in 1982, when it declared itself the “Conch Republic.” This act of protest adopted the institution of a Border Patrol roadblock on U.S. 1, which successfully remoted the Florida Keys from the remainder of the nation. Responding to issues concerning the affect on tourism and perceptions of presidency overreach, Key West officers declared independence, raised their very own flag, and humorously declared battle on the USA, solely to give up shortly thereafter and request overseas help.
Though this motion was largely symbolic, it displays a broader sentiment relating to the Keys’ impartial spirit and opposition to perceived authorities intrusion. By voting to terminate its settlement with ICE, town positioned itself towards federal and state entities in help of its values. Residents of the Conch Republic as soon as resisted being handled as outsiders in their very own nation; equally, at present’s metropolis commissioners have expressed concern that taking part in immigration enforcement might undermine group belief and inclusivity.
This historic context reveals a continuity in Key West’s identification, emphasizing autonomy, tolerance, and group interactions over exterior political pressures. Town that after issued mock passports and declared independence from Washington is now asserting native management relating to the tasks of its police, significantly in relation to the remedy of all residents, no matter their immigration standing.
