City partners with Trump administration, deputizing police officers to enforce immigration laws
By Jordan Segundo, Aaron Page
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HIALEAH, Florida (WSVN) — As the Trump administration considers expanding travel bans, the City of Hialeah has become the second city in Miami-Dade County to deputize police officers, allowing them to carry out deportation duties.
The council unanimously passed a resolution Tuesday night that will allow police officers the ability to carry out deportation duties typically assigned to federal immigration agents, such as the ability to stop, interrogate, and arrest people suspected of violating immigration laws without a warrant.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis worked to expand law enforcement efforts across the state as part of a recent immigration law passed earlier this year. He says the law aligns with President Trump’s immigration policies.
Some residents before the vote urged council members to reconsider, claiming the partnership would lead to racial profiling and an underreporting of crime.
“What happens when a victim of domestic violence is scared to report?” asked one resident. “What about when a victim of crime is scared to report because they are scared to be detained?”
Hialeah’s Chief of Police countered these criticisms, stating the department will not be conducting raids or stops.
“This agreement does not weaponize our Hialeah police officers against our City of Hialeah residents,” said Hialeah Police Chief George Fuente. “Our City of Hialeah police officer today, tomorrow, will continue to do what they do every day, which is go out and provide services to the safest city in South Florida. Our men and women go out daily without asking for people’s immigration papers. That’s not what I want; that’s not going to happen. All this agreement does, like we do with all other federal and state agencies now, is when they request support, we help them out.”
Hialeah Mayor Esteban Bovo strongly advocated for the partnership, as well as legal immigration.
“There is a fine line in a city like this one that has been built by legal immigrants, a very fine line, as opposed to illegal immigrants,” he said. “Let’s be mindful; the person that comes into the country illegally has already violated our laws. The laws of this country. And if on top of that, they violate another law, despite the other statistics that can be spouted by any open pro-open border group out there, the moment you violate our laws to enter our country, the keys to the American dream become elusive.”
The city’s decision comes after the Coral Gables Police Department agreed to assist the Immigration and Customs Enforcement in their attempts to crack down on illegal immigration.
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