Miami-Dade Jail Officers Granted Authority to Serve Federal Deportation Orders Under New ICE Deal

Miami-Dade County commissioners have formally approved an agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that allows local jail officers to serve federal deportation orders on inmates. The agreement, mandated by Florida law, builds on existing cooperation between the county and federal immigration authorities since 2017.

Under the 287(g) agreement, certain Miami-Dade Corrections Department officers will be authorized to issue federal deportation orders, a role previously carried out by ICE agents. While the agreement does not necessarily increase deportations, it streamlines the process within the jail system.

Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, a Democrat, signed the agreement last month, emphasizing that the county is complying with state law, as The Miami Herald reports. "We're following the law," she explained. "Prior to that, we were following the law as well.

The agreement was approved with only one dissenting vote from Commissioner Marleine Bastien, who raised concerns about the financial burden on local taxpayers and the potential detention of individuals for minor offenses:

"It requires the county to detain people longer, who have served their time. Immigrants can be detained because they couldn't pay their traffic tickets. They can be detained because they didn't pay child support. But because they are an immigrant, we're going to sign the [agreement] to keep them in jail."

Commissioner Roberto Gonzalez, who sponsored the legislation, said the agreement merely formalizes an existing practice. "What we're talking about here is not controversial. What we're talking about here is upholding the law," he said, emphasizing that Miami-Dade has cooperated with ICE since 2017.

The decision comes on the heels of comments by newly-minted Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz who stated last week that deputies from the county will not actively enforce immigration laws but will comply with legal obligations:

"If you are a criminal in this county who is actively committing crimes, you will be arrested. We are going to be enforcing the laws. This agreement means we are now part of that process, but we don't have exact direction because the federal government hasn't told us how they're going to need that support"

Cordero-Stutz also emphasized that routine traffic stops will not include immigration checks, stating that "if you are pulled over, you will be asked for your license, insurance, and registration—nothing more."