The Criminal Illegal Immigration Debate Hits Key West
- 4 days ago
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The Illegal Immigration Debate Hits Key West
Overview
Immigration enforcement in the Florida Keys has taken center stage over the past year, blending local politics with national priorities. In November 2025, federal agents staged roadside stops in Key Largo, detaining individuals from cars and buses while a helicopter circled overhead. These visible operations signaled a renewed emphasis on border security in the Upper Keys.
The most dramatic developments unfolded in Key West. On July 1, the city commission voted 6–1 to end its 287(g) agreement with ICE, arguing that the police chief had improperly authorized it. Just days later, however, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier sent a stern letter reminding commissioners that “you directly violated Florida law. Section 908.103, Florida Statutes, prohibits law enforcement and local government entities from adopting or having in effect any sanctuary policy." He warned that failure to comply could result in civil and criminal penalties.
Commissioner Lissette Carey, the lone vote to maintain the agreement, explained her position clearly: “I was shocked to find myself standing alone… I considered the potential consequences for our city and believed cooperation with ICE was the responsible choice." Her stance reflected concerns about safety and compliance with state law.
Governor Ron DeSantis reinforced that message, telling reporters that Key West’s refusal to cooperate with ICE was unacceptable and that commissioners risked suspension from office if they did not reverse course. His administration emphasized that immigration enforcement is essential to protecting Florida families and ensuring that local governments uphold the law.
By July 9, the commission reversed its decision and reinstated the ICE partnership. This move, while controversial, has been framed by state leaders as a positive step toward making Key West more safe.
Nationally, ICE reported 149,070 arrests in FY2024 and more than 18,000 arrests in the first two months of FY2025, while border crossings dropped to historic lows in mid-2025 after record highs the year before. These numbers suggest that enforcement is both robust and effective, aligning with the broader narrative that immigration policy is helping communities like Key West maintain order, safety, and economic stability.
Criminal Illegal Immigrants Arrested in the Florida Keys
There’s been immense noise lately from a newly formed activist group in Key West, amplified by a sympathetic local media. They claim that “innocent people” are being disappeared by masked men in the streets. The truth in Key West is far less dramatic. No panic has taken hold here, and in fact, families across the Florida Keys feel more safe knowing that dangerous criminal illegal immigrants are being removed from our community.
For example, On March 21, 2025, Border Patrol agents in Marathon, working with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, Key West Police Department, and the Florida Department of Corrections, arrested seven illegal aliens with serious criminal records. This was a coordinated, multi-agency effort to protect the Florida Keys. Those arrested included drug traffickers, a child rapist, and a man convicted of elder abuse. To oppose removing individuals like this defies both logic and common sense.
The arrests included:
Cuban national convicted of elder abuse
Cuban national convicted of trafficking methamphetamine
Cuban national convicted of trafficking oxycodone
Guatemalan national convicted of DUI causing serious injury
Many more arrests have taken place. Earlier in March, another operation targeted sex offenders living illegally in the Florida Keys. Ten individuals were arrested, all previously convicted of crimes such as lewd acts on minors, sexual battery, statutory sexual seduction, and solicitation of a child. These offenders were registered with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and living throughout the Florida Keys, posing a direct threat to our communities.
The men pictured below had criminal convictions to include:
Lewd & lascivious acts on a child under Age 16
Lewd & lascivious sexual battery with a victim 12-15 years old
Statutory sexual seduction
Solicitation of a child
Additional arrests followed: one Cuban national convicted of homicide, and another charged with animal cruelty after witnesses saw him choke and kick a small dog. These cases highlight the ongoing danger posed by individuals who enter the U.S. illegally with violent criminal backgrounds. They also show the strength of cooperation between federal, state, and local law enforcement.
Chief Patrol Agent Jeffrey Dinise summed it up clearly: “Each of these individuals posed a threat to the communities which we live in. The Miami Sector Border Patrol remains committed to protecting our communities and enforcing our immigration laws.”
All of those arrested were processed and transferred to ICE custody, and removed from the United States. This is exactly what the people of Monroe County voted for in the 2024 election: common sense border security and safety for their families. Yet, a small faction in Key West continues to push open border policies.
Open Borders Activist Group in Key West
The Key West Immigrant Support Network, a recently formed activist group made up largely of newcomers from liberal cities, has tried to force its agenda on a small island community that values family and safety first. When they lost, they didn’t lose graciously. At public City Commission meetings, they hurled slurs, calling Police Chief Brandenburg a “Nazi” and Governor DeSantis “Hitler.” According to them, the half of Monroe County who voted for Republicans and overwhelming won the election, well, they are "Nazi" supporters, "far right" and "Christian nationalist" worthy of their scorn. The local media amplified their hysteria, while national outlets repeated their claims without context or facts.
This group's biggest lie is that legal immigrants are being removed from Key West. The Chief of Police, they called a "Nazi," has been clear: the focus is on dangerous criminal illegal immigrants. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier confirmed this in a July 2, 2025 letter to the Key West City Commission, detailing arrests from March a few months earlier.
He wrote: “These men were not simply immigration violators. Each had prior convictions, including violent assault, narcotics trafficking, burglary, and theft. Their removal was necessary to protect the safety of Florida families.”
That letter, shown below, makes it plain: immigration enforcement in the Keys is about removing criminals, not ordinary residents. ICE partnerships are directly reducing crime risks and making Key West safe for both locals and visitors. The bottom line is this: most people in Key West voted for secure borders and safe communities. A small, loud activist group shouldn’t be allowed to drive policy, especially when they themselves benefit from the very protections these common sense policies provide.
Key West Remains Strong
When Attorney General James Uthmeier posted his letter to the Key West City Commission on X, it thrust the island into the national spotlight. The pressure was intense, and some feared that the relaxed, friendly image of Key West was being tarnished. Activists tried to use the immigration debate to reshape the island’s identity, but their efforts exposed contradictions in the “One Human Family” motto. For many longtime residents, that motto was never about politics—it was about living peacefully side by side, embracing the “live and let live” spirit that makes Key West unique.
Despite the noise, the attempt to divide the island has failed. Key West has endured hurricanes that ripped through homes, businesses, and lives—storms far more destructive than any political squabble. Compared to a Category 4 hurricane, the immigration debate is just a passing squall. The island’s strength lies in its people, who continue to protect their community, preserve their way of life, and welcome visitors from around the world.
Key West Strong means that no matter the challenge—whether it’s national scrutiny, political battles, or natural disasters—the island survives, adapts, and thrives.