How Is Tallahassee Responding To I.C.E. and 287(g)?

(TALLAHASSEE, FL.) – In response to the death of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, the residents of Tallahassee organized a protest.

Despite temperatures abnormally low by Florida standards, over 400 people attended the Jan. 31 protest at the state capitol. 

Photo Credit: Yahoo

The protest was organized by the Tallahassee Immigrant Rights Alliance (TIRA) and Tallahassee Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), who had specific goals in mind.

A major point of contention is found in Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1996.  287(g) is a federal provision that enables I.C.E. to operate with local law enforcement. 

With Senate Bill 1808 now in effect, all 67 of Florida’s counties automatically participate in 287(g).

Florida became the first and only state to introduce legislation automatically enrolling all of its counties in 287(g). With every county now operating under 287(g), it is important to remember Florida already has the second-highest rate of "jail-to-ICE" arrest of every state.

67% of Florida’s ICE arrests take place from prior custody, higher than the 48% national average. Its website, ice.gov, has four enforcement and removal models listed under 287(g).

The primary removal model is the Jail Enforcement Model, which allows for I.C.E. to gain custody of a person who is in jail or other forms of custody.

Other program models allow I.C.E. to train and authorize local law enforcement, as well as add force multipliers.

Force multipliers refer to methods I.C.E. can utilize to increase arrest and capacity, including extending to state and local law enforcement.

There have been other recent protests in Leon County, including a Feb. 13 school walkout, which has already received pushback.

The Leon County school board told parents that students who leave campus will receive a suspension.

Since 287(g) went into effect across the state, there has been a significant increase in arrests.

Currently, there are over 70,000 people in detention centers, a new record for Florida. 

Photo Credit: https://worthrises.org/immigration

The increase in arrests can be attributed to “At Large Arrests”, or planned and strategic arrests made within the community.

With the rising numbers, I.C.E. has begun a process of buying warehouses, with the intent of increasing its prisoner capacity. 

Stemming from President Donald Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill, I.C.E. has received more funding for both employee and facility expansions.

In addition to buying new facilities, I.C.E. has also approved new technology.

Several counties in Florida, including Flagler, have been given grants to pay for rapid fingerprint identifications, to make fingerprint identification a part of traffic stops.

There are five I.C.E. detention centers in Florida; the most infamous is the Everglades Detention Facility, which has also been dubbed Alligator Alcatraz.

Unlike the other four detention centers, Alligator Alcatraz is state-run and not an exclusive federal facility.

In an effort to push back against I.C.E., Amnesty and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) have filed a petition with the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD).

Opgov.ai has reached out to these organizations and has not received a response as of this writing.

In the petition, the ACLU explicitly references the conditions of the Everglades Detention Center.

To add to or correct any information in this report, please email me at jason.f@lead4earth.org or comment below.