MIAMI – During a Miami-Dade commission meeting on Thursday, a heated discussion arose over immigration enforcement agreements and confusion over what was being discussed.
Commissioners were discussing a rubber-stamp agreement, required by state law, for the county jail to hold inmates on behalf of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Those who came to the commission meeting thought that commissioners were instead discussing law enforcement cooperation agreements with ICE.
They believed that commissioners were trying to stop them from speaking on the matter.
The item was about to be deferred, which meant that public speaking should probably be deferred. But no one seemed to understand that.
A woman ended up being dragged out of the meeting amid loud protesting over the issue.
Commission Chair Oliver Gilbert later clarified the matter.
“It’s not on mass ICE agents. It’s not on rating work sites. It’s not on any of those things. That’s not before this board,” Gilbert said. “If that were before this board, the position the issue would be positioned differently, substantially. What’s before us is, unless I’m incorrect about this, Madam Attorney, is an agreement that has already been executed.”
The item was deferred, but because they ended up having public speaking on the issue, when commissioners bring the item back, there will likely not be another public hearing unless the commissioners decide otherwise.
