Miami will wait until after special election to vote on partnership with ICE
The city of Miami will wait until after a June special election before deciding whether to enter into an agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement that would deputize city police officers with immigration enforcement powers.
On Thursday, the Miami City Commission was slated to vote on an item to authorize the city to enter into a 287(g) agreement, specifically under the 'task force' model. Under that model, some Miami Police Department officers would be allowed to conduct immigration enforcement functions during routine work, such as questioning, arresting and detaining people suspected of violating immigration law.
But on Thursday morning, officials announced that the city was deferring the item to the meeting on June 12, which is the first City Commission meeting after a June 3 special election for District 4. The special election was called after the death of District 4 Commissioner Manolo Reyes earlier this month.
City Attorney George Wysong told the Miami Herald on Thursday that city officials want to wait to vote on the item until after the election so that the new District 4 commissioner can weigh in. Wysong also noted that the city wanted to hold off on discussing the proposal until Miami Police Chief Manuel Morales, who is out of town, could be present.
Whomever is elected will be tasked at their first commission meeting with casting a vote on a policy that could have a major impact in South Florida, with Miami being the largest city in Miami-Dade County and the second most populous in the state. Over half of the city's residents are foreign-born, and more than 70% are Hispanic or Latino, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
So far, two candidates have qualified for the June 3 special election: Ralph Rosado, who is an urban planner and was previously the manager of North Bay Village, and Jose Regalado, who worked as an assistant director in the city's Building Department up until Monday when he resigned. Regalado is the son of former Miami Mayor Tomás Regalado and brother of Miami-Dade County Commissioner Raquel Regalado.
The candidate qualifying period closes at the end of the day Friday.
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The Intercept
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They risk their lives to keep us safe and deserve our gratitude. But it is naive to believe that officers can do no wrong, that we live in a colorblind society or that there is no such thing as systemic racism. In the wake of the Trump administration's rejection of its duty to protect us all from police misconduct, the job of implementing needed reforms must go to state and local governments that oversee police agencies. Here are some actions they should take. Increase police funding to implement reforms: After Floyd's murder, some progressives adopted the slogan 'defund the police.' That was a mistake. Police departments need more federal, state and local government funding to better train and pay officers and to put more officers on the street to do police work the right way. More funding will make it less likely that police engage in the kind of unlawful violence that killed Floyd and too many others. Polling by CBS in 2022 found only 9 percent of Americans believed providing less funding for police would help prevent violent crime, while 49 percent said more funding for police would do so. A Gallup poll the same year found 89 percent of Americans believed minor or major changes were needed to improve policing — including 87 percent of whites, 90 percent of Hispanics and 95 percent of Blacks. Focus on preventing crime, not just crime response: Putting more cops on the street and having them get out of their patrol cars to build relationships with people and businesses helps officers gather intelligence about bad actors. The increased presence of officers in communities will prevent crime. This is an expensive but necessary step if we are serious about police reform. Independently investigate alleged misconduct: Rather than relying on police departments to police themselves and investigate officers accused of misconduct, states and localities should set up independent commissions to objectively conduct such investigations. Reward good cops and punish bad ones: Officers who report misconduct by colleagues should be rewarded financially and with promotions, while officers acting improperly should be disciplined, including with firing and prosecution when they commit crimes. A national database of fired officers should be established so bad cops can't get hired by departments in other localities. Increase police pay and education requirements: Raising police pay will make it easier to attract well-qualified job applicants. Departments should require every new hire to have at least two years of college and eventually a four-year degree. A 2017 national survey found that about 52 percent of officers had two-year college degrees, about 30 percent had four-year degrees and about 5 percent had graduate degrees. Governing Magazine reported in 2023 that 'research suggests that officers with college degrees generate fewer substantiated complaints and … are less likely to shoot or kill members of the public.' Increase screening of police recruits and veteran officers: Use psychological tests and in-depth interviews to identify those unsuitable for police work because they are too eager to use violence — especially if they feel threatened — or too prejudiced against certain groups. Increase officer training: Better training will make officers better able to do their jobs without resorting to deadly force. This should include training in psychology and mental health to assist officers in dealing with people experiencing a mental health crisis. Alternatively, set up a division of mental health police officers to address incidents where drugs or mental issues are the source of bad conduct. 'One in five fatal police shooting victims may have been experiencing a mental health crisis … at the time of their death,' a federal study of 633 deadly police shootings concluded. These recommendations are all common sense and promote justice and public safety. With the Trump administration abandoning its responsibility to investigate police misconduct and demand reforms, the job passes to state and local governments. Doing so would be a fitting tribute to George Floyd and the many others wrongfully killed by police. A. Scott Bolden is an attorney, former New York state prosecutor, NewsNation contributor and former chair of the Washington, D.C. Democratic Party. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
