ORLANDO, Fla. — Orange County leaders say they are ready to take a tougher stance on how the jail deals with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees.
Commissioners said they will demand full reimbursement for housing ICE detainees and will cap the number of inmates held without criminal charges.
The decision follows a briefing where officials discussed the potential for legal action against the federal agency.
The county currently houses detainees at the Orange County Jail, and leaders are seeking to formalize the financial and operational terms of the arrangement amid concerns about litigation.
The proposed policy change requires the federal government to cover all costs associated with detaining ICE inmates.
Orange County officials stated that these measures are intended to address the operational burden of housing federal detainees.
Mayor Jerry Demings noted the gravity of the potential conflict with the federal government during the briefing.
Demings has served as the county’s mayor since 2018 and previously served as the Orange County sheriff.
“The decision that we’re making, we cannot make light, especially when you talk about the potential for litigation,” Demings said.
Demings indicated that the county is carefully weighing the risks of a legal dispute while seeking a response from federal authorities.
Orange County commissioners are scheduled to discuss whether to take further action during a meeting next month.
Leaders are awaiting a formal response from ICE before moving forward with the proposed changes.
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