Orange County Ratifies ICE Agreement Transporting Detainees Everglades

Orange County commissioners voted 5-2 to ratify an agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to transport detainees to the Alligator Alcatraz immigration detention facility in the Everglades. The decision followed a warning from Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier that local officials could face removal from office for noncompliance, a threat that Mayor Jerry Demings described as real and which influenced his reluctant signing of the agreement. The move has sparked public outrage and protests, with critics including State Rep. Anna Eskamani urging legal challenges and arguing that the county is not legally required to facilitate detainee transportation. Some commissioners, like District 5 Commissioner Kelly Semrad, opposed the vote, citing concerns over state overreach and the strain on county resources due to the long distance to the facility. The situation highlights tensions between local control and state mandates on immigration enforcement. Meanwhile, Florida's Department of Government Efficiency has initiated an audit of Orange County's records amid this controversy.