Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz addressed questions about her department’s role in immigration enforcement Thursday night, following a new federal agreement allowing Florida sheriffs to assist U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Speaking at a community meeting in Richmond Heights, Cordero-Stutz told residents her office will uphold the law but is still awaiting details on how the federal government expects local deputies to participate in immigration enforcement.
“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,” Cordero-Stutz said.
“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.”
The federal agreement, announced earlier this month, gives sheriff’s deputies in participating counties the authority to identify and detain individuals who may be subject to deportation.
The move has sparked concerns among immigrant communities and civil rights groups, who worry about potential racial profiling and increased fear among undocumented residents.
Balancing immigration enforcement with community trust
At the Richmond Heights meeting, residents came to voice their concerns about crime, traffic and police presence, but the discussion on immigration enforcement underscored the growing role of local law enforcement in federal immigration policies.
When asked how her office would balance serving the community while taking on additional federal responsibilities, Cordero-Stutz emphasized the importance of building trust.
“It’s very important to us that we provide safety for the community and have a presence that makes people feel secure,” she said. “We are always actively engaged with our community, including children and we participate in many community-based organizations to build those relationships, but trust goes both ways.”
Awaiting clarity on implementation
While Miami-Dade is moving forward with the federal agreement, specifics on how deputies will execute immigration enforcement remain unclear.
Meanwhile, CBS News Miami reached out to the Broward Sheriff’s Office to ask how it plans to implement the agreement.
As of Thursday night, neither the agency nor Sheriff Gregory Tony had responded.
