Area residents are continuing to urge the Fort Myers City Council to rescind a 287(g) agreement allowing community police officers to be trained to act as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
At a May 4 Council meeting, speakers also challenged the legality of Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier’s threat to remove council members from office after a 3-3 vote initially denied the 287(g) agreement.
The item was not on the meeting agenda, and Council has not publicly debated the issue since reversing its decision following Uthmeier’s warning. Fort Myers City Attorney Grant Alley told council members it was “very unclear” whether they violated state law by voting against the agreement.
Immigration activists said the 287(g) program creates a “chilling” effect in neighborhoods, discouraging residents from reporting crimes or interacting with community police officers who may also serve as ICE agents.
More than a dozen people stood in council chambers during the May 4 meeting, while seven speakers gave public comment opposing the agreement and describing it as harmful to the community.
Kathryn Pogin asked council members to file a complaint in court seeking a ruling on whether they have the authority to rescind the agreement.
She added, quoting a common legal saying, “If you have the facts on your side pound the facts, if you have the law on the side pound the law (and) if you don’t have either pound the table. Uthmeier is brilliant and he’s great at pounding the table, but I don’t think he had either.”
In a March 18, 2025, letter, Uthmeier told three council members who initially voted against the agreement that their “action constitutes a serious and direct violation of the law.”
He argued that denying the 287(g) agreement would create a “sanctuary policy” for undocumented immigrants, which he said violates state rules.
A speaker addresses Fort Myers City Council as residents voice opposition to a 287(g) agreement during a May 4 meeting. More than a dozen attendees stood in chambers while several speakers urged council members to reopen discussion of the policy.
Evan Williams
“Immediate corrective action is required,” Uthmeier wrote, adding that failure to act could result in “all applicable civil and criminal penalties,” including “removal from office by the governor.”
After receiving the letter and guidance from the city attorney, council members unanimously reversed their decision.
Speakers at the May 4 meeting asked Council to reopen discussion of the agreement.
“It would be one thing if you just made a decision I didn’t agree with,” said Max Marver. “But allowing the state government to dictate the way that you lead this community is antithetical to what you guys are supposed to be doing here and what we’re all supposed to be doing here.”
Speakers said the agreement has eroded trust between the community and local police.
“It still sickens me as a near lifelong member of this community that the Council allowed itself to be manipulated by an impotent, unelected state attorney general and forced into signing such a deal with an organization that does not belong anywhere near our streets,” Cory Andrews said. “And it should not also rope in our brave officers into doing duties that are not within their purview.”