Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier recently announced the arrest of more than 40 suspected pedophiles, noting that 7 are currently subject to ICE holds, meaning they may face deportation at the end of their sentences.
Legal Dispute with Orange County
Orange County leaders—including Mayor Jerry Demings and the Board of County Commissioners—have refused to adopt an addendum to their 287(g) ICE agreement that would require county jail staff to transport detainees to ICE-approved facilities such as “Alligator Alcatraz.” They cited:
Chronic staffing and budget constraints
The belief that transporting federal detainees is not the core responsibility of county correctional officers newsmax.com+9mynews13.com+9clickorlando.com+9fox35orlando.comnewsmax.com+2wesh.com+2cfpublic.org+2
Uthmeier’s Response
AG Uthmeier publicly rejected the county’s refusal. In his post on X, he accused Orange County of violating Florida law—claiming they had effectively adopted a sanctuary policy by rejecting the addendum:
The Orange County Commission must adopt the ICE Addendum and allow Corrections Officers to transport illegal aliens to approved detention facilities.” mynews13.com+5clickorlando.com+5wesh.com+5
He warned that failure to comply could lead to civil and criminal penalties, including removal from office by Governor Ron DeSantis under Section 908.107 of the Florida Statutes.
Local Pushback
Orange County officials strongly pushed back:
Mayor Demings stated they have cooperated where feasible, but lack the capacity for distant detainee transport
He emphasized that the county is not a sanctuary jurisdiction, but the demands exceed jurisdictional limits and resources mynews13.com+11fox35orlando.com+11wesh.com+11wftv.com
Commissioners plan to further discuss the issue at an August 5 public meeting wdbo.com.
✅ Summary Table
Topic Details
AG’s Claim Over 40 arrests; Orange County must comply and transport ICE detainees
County’s Position Refuses addendum due to limited capacity and funding
Legal Threats AG warns removal from office and penalties if non‑compliant
Next Steps County board scheduled to revisit the accord on August 5
Uthmeier’s firm directive—“Follow the law”—reflects rising tension between state-level immigration enforcement mandates and local jurisdictions pushing back on operational and legal grounds.