MIAMI (WSVN) - Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez ordered county jails to comply with federal immigration authorities in a memo sent on Thursday, effectively ending the county’s status as an immigrant “sanctuary.”
The memo follows President Trump’s executive order, signed on Wednesday, threatening to cut federal funding to counties and cities that don’t work with federal immigration authorities.
Since 2013, Miami-Dade has not indefinitely detained inmates who may be in the country illegally unless reimbursed by the federal government. Now, Gimenez said, losing federal funding would not be worth those costs.
“We will comply with the federal government’s request to keep a prisoner in our custody that may be a illegal immigrant,” Gimenez said, “We’re taking away any kind of excuse or any kind of reasons to why the federal government could withhold any federal aid to Miami-Dade County.”
Gimenez said the county would still try to obtain federal reimbursement for the detainment.
Gimenez’s memo to Interim Correction’s Director Daniel junior read:
“Yesterday, January 25, 2017, President Donald J. Trump issued Executive Order: Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States.
In light of the provisions of the Executive Order, I direct you and your staff to honor all immigration detainer requests received from the Department of Homeland Security.
Miami-Dade County complies with federal law and intends to fully cooperate whit the federal government. I will partner with the Board of County Commissioners to address any issues necessary to achieve this end.”
Trump praised Gimenez’s decision in a tweet.