TAVARES, Fla. -- The Lake County Sheriff’s Office is teaming up with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to let deputies hold undocumented arrestees for deportation.
- Sheriff office teams up with customs enforcement
- Sheriff’s to detain immigrants for violent crimes
- Worry grows among the hispanic community
The announcement is one which is generating a lot of conversation and concern within the Hispanic Community here in Central Florida, because now Lake County Sheriff's Deputies arresting undocumented immigrants for anything from serious violent offenses to even driving without a license will now be able to hold those immigrants for up to 48 hours as ICE takes them into their custody and decides if the undocumented immigrant qualifies for deportation.
''The Sheriff is passionate about this and he feels when undocumented immigrants begin to commit crimes here locally- especially crimes of a violent nature, and there is a better option then returning them to the streets and costing the taxpayers money while they are in our jails then we need to take advantage of that,'' Lake County Sheriff’s Office Spokesperson, John Herrell said.
This decision comes partially from neighboring Polk county’s announcement to team with ICE- saying Lake County too has seen violent crimes from undocumented immigrants over the years.
Brevard County has also implemented this policy.
In Orange County the manager and DJ for La Que Buena, Jose Rodriguez says the newly announced partnership is one which threatens not just criminals, but also those undocumented immigrants who are working in Lake County in hopes of one day becoming citizens.
''This is just another fear tactic- not even a tactic. This will basically make people fear law enforcement is what it will do'', Rodriguez said.
As a Lake County resident himself, former undocumented immigrant and Radio DJ, Rodriguez says many people have reached out to him and said they are concerned with what this will mean for their families if they are arrested for being undocumented and living in the area.
''Their fear is that they will have to be sent back to something they don’t know anymore'', Rodriguez explained.
''95% of the people who live here were forced to leave their country. It’s either we leave or we die in our old countries'' Rodriguez explained.
While Rodriguez agrees violent criminals should be punished- he is concerned with what this will mean for all those listening to his station, people he says are hard workers, working hard to become a legal member of this nation they now call home.
For more information about the partnership click here: http://www.mynews13.com/fl/orlando/news/2018/06/01/lake-county-sheriff-s-office-partners-with-ice-to-hold-undocumented-arrestees