Officials from the Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) sub-offices of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Miami, covering Orlando, Tampa, and Jacksonville, convened with representatives from the Mexican Consulate on August 21, 2019, to reinforce their partnership. The central aim of this meeting was to strengthen the relationship and collaborative efforts between ICE and the Mexican Consulate in Orlando, particularly concerning the services and resources available to Mexican nationals in ICE custody within northern and central Florida.
During the meeting, Assistant Field Office Directors (AFODs) and Supervisory Detention and Deportation Officers (SDDOs) from the ICE ERO Miami sub-offices in Orlando, Tampa, and Jacksonville engaged in discussions with officials from the Mexican Consulate in Orlando. The dialogue encompassed a range of immigration and detention-related topics. Key discussions revolved around maintaining open communication channels and refining existing processes to better support Mexican citizens held in ICE detention facilities across Florida.
“The ERO Miami sub-office in Orlando maintains a strong relationship with the local Mexican Consulate, and this meeting helped to solidify this connection,” stated AFOD Conrad Agagan. “Having continuous engagement with the Mexican Consulate enhances our ability to fulfill our mission and, in turn, makes our nation safer for everyone.”
Specific concerns addressed during the meeting included inquiries from Mexican detainees in ICE facilities in northern Florida received by the Mexican Consulate in Orlando. The parties worked to identify potential solutions to these concerns. Furthermore, discussions covered the Mexican Consulate’s access to Mexican nationals in ICE custody and the utility of the Online Detainee Locator System as a public tool for locating individuals in ICE detention.
Felipe Ulises Cuéllar Sánchez, the Consul in charge of the Mexican Consulate in Orlando, affirmed his commitment to collaborating with the agency. “This was an important meeting to strengthen the friendship and collaboration with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in central Florida.”
The mission of ERO Miami is to identify, arrest, and remove undocumented foreign nationals who pose a threat to national security or public safety, as well as those who unlawfully enter the United States or otherwise undermine the integrity of our immigration laws and border control efforts. The ERO Miami sub-office in Orlando works with local, state, and federal government and law enforcement partners to maintain safe communities.
