LAKE WORTH, Fla. — Community groups in Lake Worth Beach gathered to protest on Tuesday, demanding answers from city leaders after a surge in immigration enforcement.
After months of speaking out in city meetings, residents say they still fear for their families and want more protection.
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The protest was held outside City Hall ahead of the city commission meeting, and was organized by Lake Worth For All and PBC Indivisible Immigration Coalition (PBCIIC).
Crowds say recent Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) raids are spreading fear, and they are calling to end ICE involvement with state and local law enforcement agencies.
“A lot of us that are involved with our immigrant neighbors are very aware of all of the atrocities that have been committed here,” said
Protestors say the raids stem from the 287(g) program, giving local law enforcement agencies the authority to make immigration-related arrests.
“They are very aggressive. They are targeting,” said commissioner Christopher McVoy. “They are going after landscapers. They’re going after work trucks.”
Commissioner McVoy stood alongside protestors, saying he’s seen an increase in traffic stops conducted by Florida Highway Patrol (FHP).
“We have kids who are in school and they come home and there's no parent. You can imagine the family trauma that’s going on.”
On Monday, Governor Ron Desantis announced the State of Florida has detained more than 10,000 immigrants since last spring after working alongside federal, state and local law enforcement.
Groups say people are being racially profiled arguing against wrongful arrests.
“We have a real problem when you’re deporting people whose only offense is that they didn’t have a license, which you can’t get,” said McVoy.
During the protest, few drivers yelled at protestors. Meanwhile, groups are urgently calling for city leaders to request transparency on the arrests.
“Were asking the city to dedicate somebody on staff to get that data every month and to let us know exactly who’s being targeted in the city, what country they’re from, what crimes did they commit, did they have a record and did they have children they were leaving behind.”
Groups hope the city commission holds a special meeting to specifically discuss immigration enforcement.
