President Trump has continued a push to encourage local governments to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. (Getty Images)
The inclusion of Doral in the effort would mark a seemingly surprising turn, with the city being home to one of the largest populations of Venezuelan immigrants in the country. That fact has sparked concern among many in the local population, most notably about potential racial profiling, though city officials have attempted to ease fears and said the partnership will focus strictly on lawful enforcement.
"The intention isn’t to detain anyone based on how they look," Council Member Rafael Pineyro told the Miami Herald. "We are obligated to follow federal and state laws, but the goal is not to target individuals based on appearance. Our focus remains on lawful enforcement, not profiling."
The 287(g) agreement being inked by Doral has seen widespread use in multiple states since Trump took office in January, allowing cooperation between local law enforcement agencies and ICE.
Doral, Florida has a large Venezuelan community. (D.A. Varela/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Local activists continue to push back against the potential agreement.
"By transforming local law enforcement into instruments of the Department of Homeland Security’s enforcement, Doral’s elected officials have broken the trust of the city’s large Venezuelan community," Adelys Ferro, the executive director of the Venezuelan American Caucus, told the Miami Herald. "The community relies on the police for protection, not persecution."
Michael Lee is a writer for Fox News. Prior to joining Fox News, Michael worked for the Washington Examiner, Bongino.com, and Unbiased America. He has covered politics for more than eight years.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/floridas-largest-venezuelan-stronghold-poised-join-forces-ice-report