The Tampa Bay Immigrant Solidarity Network & residents of greater Tampa Bay urge our Cities, Police Chiefs, Mayors, Councilmembers, and Commissioners to terminate their 287(g) agreements with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This program deputizes local police officers to act as federal immigration agents, diverting resources away from the community and leading to unnecessary detentions and deportations that separate families and destabilize our region. Participation in the 287(g) program is a voluntary federal partnership that deputizes local law enforcement to perform immigration enforcement activities. While Florida law requires county sheriffs who manage jails to enter into one of these agreements, that requirement does not extend to municipal police departments. No individual cities in Tampa Bay operate their own jails, meaning all 287(g) agreements are 100% voluntary and can be voided at the city’s discretion.

The Issue:

The 287(g) program causes significant harm across Florida and the nation:

• Harms Families and Children: Local police collaboration with ICE leads to cruel and unwarranted deportations, destroying communities in the process.

• Encourages Racial Profiling: Studies and advocacy groups have documented that 287(g) agreements exacerbate racial profiling, resulting primarily in the arrests of individuals with no criminal background.

• Violates Human Rights: Through the system of incarceration and deportation, 287(g) agreements enable the erosion of the rights of the community.

• Diverts Local Resources: Officers trained under 287(g) spend time and taxpayer money enforcing federal immigration law instead of focusing on local priorities. Every moment spent on 287(g) is time taken away from protecting residents.

• Undermines Local Autonomy: Florida law requires county jails to enter into 287(g) agreements, but since no cities in Tampa Bay operate jails, they are not obligated. By voluntarily participating, our cities choose to expand a harmful program beyond what is mandated.

• Erodes Public Trust in Law Enforcement: When local police act as immigration agents, immigrant communities become fearful of reporting crimes or cooperating with investigations, undermining safety for everyone.

The Regional Impact: Interlocal Agreements:

Under Florida Statute 166.0495, our municipalities frequently enter into interlocal agreements to provide law enforcement services across city lines. This means that as long as even one city maintains a 287(g) agreement, federal immigration enforcement can spill over into neighboring jurisdictions. A single voluntary agreement threatens the safety and civil liberties of residents across the entire Tampa Bay area. We are calling for a coordinated, regional withdrawal to ensure that our shared law enforcement services are used to protect all residents, regardless of which city they happen to be in.

Our Request:

We call on our cities to end their 287(g) agreements immediately. No city in Tampa Bay should voluntarily participate in a program that promotes racial profiling and destabilizes families. Furthermore, given the robust interlocal cooperation between our police forces, we urge a collective regional end to these agreements to prevent the cross-border "export" of federal enforcement activities. By withdrawing, our Police Departments can reaffirm their commitment to protecting all residents equally and building trust across our diverse community.

Our region thrives when all residents feel safe, respected, and supported. Ending the 287(g) agreement is a necessary step toward ensuring that our police departments serve the needs of our cities, not the agenda of federal immigration enforcement.

Call to Action:

Help protect our community and sign our petition to urge our Cities to end 287(g) agreements.