Key West reverses vote, will cooperate with ICE agreement
Key West city commissioners reversed a previous decision and voted Tuesday to cooperate with a federal immigration enforcement agreement, according to reporting by CBS News Miami's news partner, .
The newspaper reported that the 4–2 vote comes a week after commissioners initially voted to void the city's participation in a 287(g) agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which allows local law enforcement to collaborate with federal immigration agents.
The reversal followed intense pressure from the DeSantis administration, which had vowed consequences for the city if it did not rescind its earlier vote, according to the Herald.
Last Tuesday, the commission had voted 6-1 to void the agreement
What is ICE's 287 (g) agreement program
The 287(g) agreement is a federal program that deputizes local law enforcement to enforce immigration laws. It gives them the authority to stop, question, and arrest individuals suspected of being in the country unlawfully.
Every sheriff's office in Florida has signed this agreement.
In initially voiding the agreement, the Key West commission defied the wishes of Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has pushed for statewide participation in the 287(g) program. The governor has asked the legislature to give him the power to suspend law enforcement officials who refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.
In a post on X on Tuesday night, the state's attorney general, James Uthmeier, wrote that it was great to see the city heeding the administration's warning.
