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Oakland and Ocoee are planning public Hispanic Heritage Month events from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. However, residents might have something else besides celebrating on their minds: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents dropping by.
The U.S. Supreme Court last week reversed a previous court order that banned ICE from “stopping people based on their race, language, job or location,” according to The Associated Press. It could pave the way for ICE to expand racially discriminatory practices that could sweep up U.S. citizens and residents with legal status, some legal experts and immigration advocates have said.
Jose Gamboa, president of the Central Florida Democratic Hispanic Caucus, told VoxPopuli in a phone interview that the high court’s ruling will likely lead to "profiling" and “discrimination” against Hispanic people in Florida, particularly Orange County, where people with ”Latino or Hispanic [descendancy]” comprise 30 to 40 percent of the population.
About 28 percent of Ocoee’s population and 24 percent of Winter Garden’s population are Hispanic; Oakland and Windermere are 11 percent and 5.5 percent Hispanic, respectively.
Gamboa said while he “hope[s] that there are still celebrations” throughout the county, he “would not be surprised if many people decided to not participate” to avoid ICE. ”Maybe the events are held, but maybe participation is not the same as it used to be because of these fears,” he added.
Last week, Oakland kicked off the month-long observation by issuing a proclamation and opening the Day of the Dead-themed exhibit at the Healthy West Orange Arts and Heritage Center called “Raices y Recuerdos” (or Roots and Memories). The exhibit opened Friday, Sept. 12, and featured performances by Mexican dance company México Lindo Orlando and musician Luis Lefty Guitar. It runs through Nov. 1.
Ocoee is planning to issue its own proclamation this week. The city will host its celebration Oct. 2 at the Ocoee Lakeshore Center from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. It will feature food trucks with Hispanic food, Ocoee Community Market vendors and a performance by Ultimate Santana Tribute Band.
Jane Behrle, Winter Garden communications and marketing manager, emailed VoxPopuli that the city had no such proclamation or events planned. Neither does Windermere, according to Dorothy Burkhalter, the town clerk.
Oakland Mayor Shane Taylor told VoxPopuli that ICE’s presence at the Healthy West Orange Arts and Heritage Center “Raices y Recuerdos” exhibit is “not a concern” because the town has followed “federal and state guidelines” on immigration. “[This] eliminates our concern and worry of outside influences for disrupting a great exhibit that celebrates a great cultural event,” he added.
“ICE has no authority nor a mandate to interfere over celebrating or showcasing culture and heritage,” he said after being asked about the impact of the Supreme Court’s ruling.
The Ocoee Police Department told VoxPopuli via email that it has “not been notified by ICE or any other law enforcement agency about plans to be present at any Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations in Ocoee.”
“That said, ICE is a federal agency and is not required to notify us or request permission to be present at public events in Ocoee,” the department added.
Law enforcement departments at all four municipalities, however, do have agreements or arrangements with ICE, allowing the federal agency to deputize local officers to act as immigration agents. Since July, detentions at the Orange County Jail have surged after the county OK’d an agreement to cooperate with ICE.
