Earlier this year, officials with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement toured a warehouse facility located at 8660 Transport Drive in east Orlando. Ever since, concerns have been mounting about the potential that ICE could convert that facility into a detention center — a \u201cconcentration camp,\u201d as described by immigration advocates. Signs opposing such a facility have started popping up across the city.<\/p>\n
RELATED: There were 20,000+ ICE arrests in Florida through mid-October last year<\/a><\/p>\n Molly Duerig<\/p>\n \/<\/p>\n Central Florida Public Media<\/p>\n A sign posted in Orlando\u2019s MetroWest area on March 24 reads: \u201cNo Lake Nona Concentration Camp.\u201d Those organizing against a potential ICE detention center said on April 6 that their public messaging now references Orlando, as it is \u201ca more recognizable name\u201d than Lake Nona, where ICE toured a warehouse facility earlier this year.<\/p>\n Leading the charge against an Orlando-area detention center are local chapters of 50501<\/a>, a national movement which evolved out of last year\u2019s initial protests against \u201cthe anti-democratic and illegal actions of the Trump administration and its plutocratic allies,\u201d according to the group\u2019s website.<\/p>\n On Monday, two local 50501 chapters were among the 20 groups represented by advocates who gathered outside City Hall to urge Orlando leaders to take a harder stance against ICE\u2019s aggressive ramp-up of immigration enforcement.<\/p>\n Molly Duerig<\/p>\n \/<\/p>\n Central Florida Public Media<\/p>\n Paige Walters dressed up as the Statue of Liberty for Monday\u2019s rally outside Orlando\u2019s city hall. Walters said she was there with Orlando Visibility Brigade, the local branch of a national movement focused on physical messaging against authoritarianism.<\/p>\n Hedder Pierre Joseph, an educator who is also running for Orange County\u2019s District 6 Commission seat, made an impassioned plea to elected officials, calling on them to \u201chave courage\u201d in the face of potential political consequences for speaking up against ICE.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have our elected officials who are going on as though it’s business as usual. It is not business as usual,\u201d Pierre Joseph said. \u201cYou’re afraid of losing your seat?! You have people that have lost their lives.\u201d<\/p>\n Molly Duerig<\/p>\n \/<\/p>\n Central Florida Public Media<\/p>\n Hedder Pierre Joseph, an educator who is also running for Orange County\u2019s District 6 Commission seat, urged city leaders to take a harder stance against federal immigration enforcement activity: \u201cIf anyone should be standing up, it should be you first.\u201d<\/p>\n ICE data show<\/a> that between January of last year and Jan. 6 of this year, 35 people have died in ICE custody. One of the latest deaths was Royer Perez-Jimenez, a 19-year-old who died in Glades County, Pastor Sarah Robinson of Audubon Park Church said Monday.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are here to demand our Orlando city government say no to the warehousing of human beings in our city,\u201d Robinson said.<\/p>\n She joined Pierre Joseph and other advocates who spoke outside City Hall Monday in calling out local elected officials for not doing more to push back on ICE.<\/p>\n \u201cI find the defeatism of our current mayor and city commissioners incredible: as in, \u2018not credible,\u2019\u201d Robinson said. \u201c\u2018There’s nothing we can do\u2019 seems to be their line. But this is nothing more than complying in advance with authoritarian bullying. This is a betrayal of the ideals of our city.\u201d<\/p>\n Earlier this year, a city attorney advised commissioners they cannot legally block ICE from opening a detention facility. Dyer reiterated the same thing on Monday, but made clear: if it were up to him and his fellow commissioners, no such facility would come to Orlando.<\/p>\n RELATED: City attorney says Orlando cannot block ICE detention facility<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWe absolutely oppose any form of ICE detention facility within our community,\u201d Dyer said. \u201cThat being said, I don’t want to mislead anybody \u2026. We do not have the authority to block or regulate a facility were they to try to locate one here.\u201d<\/p>\n Dyer\u2019s comments were echoed by all six city commissioners, who encouraged advocates to keep protesting, and to focus on elevating their concerns about immigration enforcement to state and federal officials.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have to go to the people who are making these decisions, that are making this stuff possible. And I’ll go with you,\u201d said District 4 Commissioner Patty Sheehan.<\/p>\n RELATED: After threats of removal from office, Orlando Mayor says the city will comply with state immigration policy<\/a><\/p>\n Screenshot<\/p>\n \/<\/p>\n Orlando City Council<\/p>\n Orlando District 4 Commissioner Patty Sheehan warned immigrant advocates there could be negative consequences if city commissioners were to be removed from office and replaced: \u201cIt can get a lot worse. Be careful what you ask for, you may just get it.\u201d<\/p>\n Sheehan floated the idea that city commissioners could adopt a resolution formally stating their opposition to a local ICE facility. Orange County commissioners passed such a resolution last month; while it holds little legal weight, it does clarify the commission\u2019s stance against the idea.<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775565129_693_.jpeg\"\/)
<\/p>\n![\"Paige](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775565130_540_.jpeg\"\/)
<\/p>\n![\"Hedder](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775565131_257_.jpeg\"\/)
<\/p>\n![\"Orlando](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775565131_602_.png\"\/)
<\/p>\n