From Staff Reports
In Summary:
Orange County commissioners voted to terminate the ICE detainee agreement, ending the use of the county jail for federal immigration detention. Commissioner Christine Moore, whose district includes Apopka, voted in favor of the change. Apopka-based Hope CommUnity Center helped lead a coalition effort advocating for the policy shift.
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Orange County commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to terminate a key portion of the county’s agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), ending the use of the Orange County Jail to house federal immigration detainees under the Intergovernmental Service Agreement (IGSA).
Related: Fear and Resistance: Apopka immigrant communities navigate rising ICE activity, harsh laws, and economic fallout.
The decision makes Orange County the first in Florida to take this step, according to county officials and advocates who pushed for the change.
Commissioners voted to end the section of the agreement that allowed ICE to detain individuals in the county jail, a practice that has been the subject of growing debate in recent months. Supporters of the move argued that the agreement placed the county in the middle of federal immigration enforcement, while critics raised concerns about due process and the role of local resources.
County leaders said the vote reflects a shift in how the county approaches its role in immigration-related detention, particularly amid questions about the impact on local communities and the use of taxpayer funds.
Advocates who supported ending the agreement pointed to cases in which individuals without local or state charges were held in jail under federal authority. Others emphasized broader concerns about trust between immigrant communities and local government.
The vote follows months of public comment, organizing efforts, and discussions among community groups, faith leaders, and elected officials.
While the county will no longer detain individuals for ICE under the IGSA, officials noted that the decision does not change federal immigration enforcement practices or the authority of federal agencies.
Following the vote, Hope CommUnity Center issued a statement highlighting its role in the effort and the broader coalition that supported the change.
“Orange County just made history—and Hope CommUnity Center helped lead the way,” said Executive Director Felipe Sousa-Lazaballet. “In a unanimous vote, the County Commission ended its ICE Intergovernmental Service Agreement, making Orange County the first in Florida to take this step.”
Sousa-Lazaballet described the agreement as harmful and said the vote followed months of organizing and coalition-building.
“For months, we fought to end a harmful agreement that allowed countless immigrants—many with no local or state charges—to be detained,” he said. “We saw members of our community targeted on the streets, taken to Orange County Jail, and funneled into detention and deportation.”
The organization said the decision would end the use of county resources for ICE detention and reduce what it described as risks to due process.
“Orange County will no longer detain people for ICE under the IGSA,” Sousa-Lazaballet said. “Local taxpayers are no longer funding this system, and our jail is no longer a hub for detention and deportation.”
The group also credited a broader coalition effort, including dozens of organizations and faith leaders, for advocating for the policy change.
“This victory was built through relentless organizing, education, and coalition-building,” he said. “Together, we made the impossible possible.”
Sousa-Lazaballet added that advocacy efforts will continue, including a focus on other agreements between local governments and federal immigration authorities.
County officials have not announced additional changes related to immigration enforcement agreements, but Tuesday’s vote marks a significant shift in how Orange County participates in federal detention efforts.
Key Points:
- Orange County voted unanimously to end the ICE detainee agreement
- District 2 Commissioner Christine Moore, who represents Apopka, supported the decision
- The agreement allowed ICE detainees to be held in the Orange County Jail
- Hope CommUnity Center, based in Apopka, helped lead the advocacy effort
- Supporters say the move improves transparency and reduces local involvement in federal detention
Photos by Isabel LeCompte (@isasbel.lecompte), interning photographer for The Apopka Voice.
