ST. PETE., Fla. — Calls to end local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement are growing louder in St. Petersburg.
The Tampa Bay Immigrant Solidarity Network hosted a meeting at the Obama Main Library on Saturday to discuss strategies to stop the 287(g) program, an agreement that allows ICE to delegate certain immigration enforcement duties to state and local law enforcement officers. While the event was planned in advance, attendees said the recent killing of Alex Pretti in Minnesota intensified their urgency.
Dozens gathered to hear from organizers and community members about how they can get involved. Many said they oppose what they call Trump’s deportation agenda and want to protect immigrants in Florida from increased enforcement actions.
"You look across the country and obviously we're in Florida, which is a very immigrant, you know, rich state," said said Lamark Stillings, a member of the Tampa Bay Immigrant Solidarity Network. "It's not, it doesn't take too much reasoning to think. That Donald Trump might be focusing his attention to the state later. Ron DeSantis already is doing an operation over in Central Florida, the Orlando area to kind of sweep up immigrants. So we obviously want to protect the community here, and there is that fear, that paranoia about potentialICE incursions here."
After the meeting, participants went door-to-door in nearby neighborhoods, urging residents to sign petitions and join the movement. Organizers say protests and outreach efforts will continue across the Tampa Bay area in the coming weeks.
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