Winter Haven City Commission Votes 3-1 to Approve Immigration Task Force MOA, Despite Public Backlash
by James Coulter
Despite receiving a notable public backlash over potential “racial profiling” and “complicity with fascism”, Winter Haven city commissioners voted 3-1 to approve a memorandum of agreement (MOA) establishing a partnership initiative between local law enforcement and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
At their regular meeting on Mon. June 23, Winter Haven city commissioners approved an MOA that would denote the City’s compliance with federal immigration enforcement “in arresting, detaining, and beginning the deportation process for criminal illegal aliens,” as explained by Vance Monroe Jr., Chief of Winter Haven Police.
City Commissioners voted 3-1 to approve the MOA. Commissioner Clifton E. Dollison voted no.
The MOA is part of a program for a partnership initiative between ICE and local law enforcement. The program was created through Florida Senate Bill 2c, signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis on Feb. 13, 2025.
“Under this program, designated state and local law enforcement officers are delegated the authority to perform certain immigration enforcement functions under the direction and oversight of ICE,” wrote Chief Monroe.
Through this program, the Winter Haven Police Department would be able to:
• Question individuals about their immigration status.
• Serve and execute immigration warrants.
• Make arrests for immigration violations.
• Initiate removal proceedings.
Local law enforcement would not be able to:
• Stop people based on immigration status.
• Ask for immigration papers on the street or during traffic stops.
• Detain anyone just because they are undocumented — unless directed by a court or ICE.
However, more than a dozen residents took to the podium during public comments to voice their disapproval of the MOA and urge city commissioners to vote against it.
One resident, Matthew Crowley, argued the MOA would allow local officers to take on the role of immigration agents, which would sow fear and distrust of the police into residents, many of whom would feel “hunted” and “unwanted.”
“This move does not make Winter Haven safer,” he said. “It makes our neighbors afraid to call for help…because they believe contact with the police can lead to detention or deportation…These agreements tear apart the trust of the community, and when that trust is gone, no one is safe.”
Another resident, Beth Hanson, argued that the MOA could lead to “racial profiling” and open the city up for potential lawsuits.
“If you vote on this, shame on you, shame on each and every one of you,” she told commissioners.
Yet another resident, Tina Polk, argued that the MOA would attack the very humanity of the people who would be targeted by it. She averred that immigrants living in the city are upstanding citizens whose presence contributes to the community.
“The people we are removing are human beings,” she said. “We are not taking hardened criminals and murderers, we are taking loyal neighbors and workers…Like all of us, they seek a better life. They are not a threat to us or our way of life. If anything, they have made it better.”
Chief Monroe insisted the MOA would not turn local police into immigration officers who would go about “asking for papers” or “rounding people up.” Rather, officers will only inquire about immigration status during a traffic stop or arrest for a crime.
“We are not going to be knocking on doors and asking people for their [immigration] status,” he said. “We are not going to violate people’s rights. We are going to do things that are lawful…No matter what we say, or how we say it, there will be people will feel we are going to be the strong arm of the federal government…That is not what we are going to do.”
Commissioner Bradley T. Dantzler insisted the City was required to comply with the MOA or else risk having their state funding cut for their city police department. As such, it placed the City “between a rock and a hard place.”
“I understand everybody’s frustration,” he said. “I am frustrated. We don’t want to be up here doing this. We didn’t pass this law…[but] there is some money at stake for our police department if we don’t do this.”
Commissioner Dollison was the only commissioner who voted against the MOA. He claimed it reminded him of Jim Crow and that voting in favor of it “would go against everything that I stand for.”
