Fort Myers City Council does an about-face, now unanimously agrees to allow ICE to train its police

News

Fort Myers City Council does an about-face, now unanimously agrees to allow ICE to train its police

2025-03-22 07:06 Last Updated At：07:21

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — City officials in Fort Myers, Florida, unanimously agreed to pass a memorandum on Friday allowing local authorities to receive training from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and assist with deportations. This decision reverses a contentious vote earlier this week that led to threats of suspension from state officials.

The three-hour special meeting began with two hours of spirited public comment, with most speakers dissenting the memorandum by citing fears of increased racial profiling as a top concern. The presiding officer of public comment also continually interrupted speakers who discussed the council's vote or thanked councilmembers on Monday who disagreed with the memorandum, saying that it was off-topic to Friday's meeting.

Then, councilmembers prompted questions to Fort Myers Deputy Police Chief Victor Medico and City Attorney Grant Alley, who Councilmember Darla Bonk called out for leaving members with multiple unanswered questions before Friday's presentation.

“I must express my grave concern that there was a significant dereliction of the duty on the part of my city attorney,” said Bonk, who initially voted against the agreement earlier this week. “We, as councilmembers, were put in the position of voting on a matter that was not within our legal authority or jurisdiction, as a state rep also reminded us at the top of this meeting. The actions subjected us public servants to unnecessary grave, personal and professional risk.”

City officials' about-face comes a day after Gov. Ron DeSantis warned them that failing to approve an immigration agreement could have steep consequences, including suspension from office. Earlier this week, state Attorney General James Uthmeier announced an investigation of councilmembers who voted against the agreement, saying the city was implementing an illegal sanctuary policy.

Councilmember Diana Giraldo said in the meeting that she was concerned with the memorandum's designation of authorized functions to police officers, saying it could boost racial profiling. These functions, according to the memorandum, include the power to arrest any immigrant who does not have legal status without a warrant and the power to interrogate any person believed to be an immigrant.

Giraldo said the city already has been working with federal immigration agents for years, a reason she objected to any claims of Fort Myers being a sanctuary city.

When asked, Alley said it was “very not clear” whether the council violated the law, and that he'd normally suggest asking the attorney general. In this case, the attorney general weighed in, and when asked he advised the councilmembers to support this agreement.

“The attorney general is not a court, but it is the top law enforcement, and they issue opinions, and this wasn't in the form of an opinion. This was in the form of an immediate compliance with state immigration laws,” Alley said.

In Uthmeier's letter, he cited laws passed by Florida legislators just earlier this year in a special session, which include provisions that say state and local law enforcement and supervising entities must use “best efforts to support the enforcement of federal immigration law.”

Thousands of nurses go on strike at several major New York City hospitals

NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of nurses in three hospital systems in New York City went on strike Monday after negotiations through the weekend failed to yield breakthroughs in their contract disputes.

The strike was taking place at The Mount Sinai Hospital and two of its satellite campuses, with picket lines forming. The other affected hospitals are NewYork-Presbyterian and Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx.

About 15,000 nurses are involved in the strike, according to New York State Nurses Association.

“After months of bargaining, management refused to make meaningful progress on core issues that nurses have been fighting for: safe staffing for patients, healthcare benefits for nurses, and workplace violence protections,” the union said in a statement issued Monday. “Management at the richest hospitals in New York City are threatening to discontinue or radically cut nurses’ health benefits.”

The strike, which comes during a severe flu season, could potentially force the hospitals to transfer patients, cancel procedures or divert ambulances. It could also put a strain on city hospitals not involved in the contract dispute, as patients avoid the medical centers hit by the strike.

The hospitals involved have been hiring temporary nurses to try and fill the labor gap during the walkout, and said in a statement during negotiations that they would “do whatever is necessary to minimize disruptions.” Montefiore posted a message assuring patients that appointments would be kept.

“NYSNA’s leaders continue to double down on their $3.6 billion in reckless demands, including nearly 40% wage increases, and their troubling proposals like demanding that a nurse not be terminated if found to be compromised by drugs or alcohol while on the job," Montefiore spokesperson Joe Solmonese said Monday after the strike had started. "We remain resolute in our commitment to providing safe and seamless care, regardless of how long the strike may last.”

New York-Presbyterian accused the union of staging a strike to “create disruption,” but said in a statement that it has taken steps to ensure patients receive the care they need.

"We’re ready to keep negotiating a fair and reasonable contract that reflects our respect for our nurses and the critical role they play, and also recognizes the challenging realities of today’s healthcare environment,” the statement said.

The work stoppage is occurring at multiple hospitals simultaneously, but each medical center is negotiating with the union independently. Several other hospitals across the city and in its suburbs reached deals in recent days to avert a possible strike.

The nurses’ demands vary by hospital, but the major issues include staffing levels and workplace safety. The union says hospitals have given nurses unmanageable workloads.

Nurses also want better security measures in the workplace, citing incidents like a an incident last week, when a man with a sharp object barricaded himself in a Brooklyn hospital room and was then killed by police.

The union also wants limitations on hospitals’ use of artificial intelligence.

The nonprofit hospitals involved in the negotiations say they’ve been working to improve staffing levels, but say the union’s demands overall are too costly.

Nurses voted to authorize the strike last month.

Both New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani had expressed concern about the possibility of the strike. As the strike deadline neared, Mamdani urged both sides to keep negotiating and reach a deal that “both honors our nurses and keeps our hospitals open.”

“Our nurses kept this city alive through its hardest moments. Their value is not negotiable,” Mamdani said.

State Attorney General Letitia James voiced similar support, saying "nurses put their lives on the line every day to keep New Yorkers healthy. They should never be forced to choose between their own safety, their patients’ well-being, and a fair contract.”

The last major nursing strike in the city was only three years ago, in 2023. That work stoppage, at Mount Sinai and Montefiore, was short, lasting three days. It resulted in a deal raising pay 19% over three years at those hospitals.

It also led to promised staffing improvements, though the union and hospitals now disagree about how much progress has been made, or whether the hospitals are retreating from staffing guarantees.