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A Florida city commissioner said she was shocked to find herself “standing alone” after her colleagues in the state’s southernmost municipality voted this week to end an agreement between the police department and federal immigration authorities.
Key West city Commissioner Lissette Carey told Fox News Digital that she considered the potential consequences of severing the 287(g) agreement, which allows police officers to stop, question and detain illegal immigrants.
“I did my research prior to the meeting,” Carey said. “I was the only member of the Commission who understood the consequences and respected our state and federal government enough to uphold the law.”
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In a 5-1 vote, the commission voted to void the agreement, a move that came amid the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration and nationwide mass deportation operations.
“I was deeply disturbed by the lack of understanding and the disregard for the safety, security, and long-term well-being of our city,” Carey said. “As the first to cast a vote on this matter, I was disheartened—and frankly shocked—to find myself standing alone in recognizing the importance of upholding this agreement.”
The move has already met opposition from leaders in the state capital of Tallahassee.
In a letter dated Wednesday to the commissioners, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said their vote violates state law and has essentially made Key West a “sanctuary city.”
“Florida law unequivocally forbids sanctuary cities,” Uthmeier wrote while demanding the city leaders reverse course. “Failure to take corrective action will result in the enforcement of all applicable civil and criminal penalties, including removal from office by the governor.”
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He added that they could face removal from office if they don’t reverse course.
Carey, whose mother and grandparents arrived in Key West from Cuba in the 1950s, said she supports legal immigration.
“I am proud of my heritage, and I honor the many contributions immigrants make to our communities,” she said. “But I also believe in following the law and ensuring public safety.”
“Key West is often seen as a carefree, liberal town, but it’s also home to conservatives like me who support law enforcement,” added Carey.
Earlier in the week, Gov. Ron DeSantis said the issue is a matter of following state law.
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“I think the attorney general has weighed in on that, and I’ll let him do the analysis and send them whatever warnings need to be sent,” DeSantis said at the opening of the new “Alligator Alcatraz” immigration detention center in the Everglades.
“But the reality is you have a responsibility for full participation,” he added. “And you can virtue signal and try to make political statements, but the reality is local governments have to abide by Florida law.”
Choosing not to cooperate with immigration authorities only puts residents in those municipalities at risk, a White House spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
“Local officials refusing to work with federal law enforcement will not stop the Trump Administration’s mission to remove dangerous, criminal illegal aliens from American communities,” the spokesperson said. “It will only put American citizens living in their jurisdiction at risk. Quickly and efficiently deporting violent aliens makes every American community safer.”
Other Florida cities have done the opposite. In Miami, city commissioners there narrowly voted in favor last month to allow police officers to work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) by entering into its own 287(g) partnership.
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