Neighboring county caves on ICE agreement.
Days after Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier threatened to remove the Orange County mayor and six county commissioners, Mayor Jerry Demings signed an updated agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Demings said he signed it under what he called “extreme duress.” He feared if he hadn’t, Gov. DeSantis would have removed him from office. Demings’ capitulation drew criticism from immigration advocates.
The agreement allows local law enforcement who receive training to question people about their immigration status and to detain them if they are subject to deportation.
No more SpaceX sonic booms?
After the crewed launch to the space station last week, the SpaceX booster returned to land back on the Cape. It was the final booster landing at LZ1. SpaceX has returned the property to the Space Force, who will assign the pad to two other rocket companies. But that won’t end sonic booms along the Space Coast. Falcon9 boosters will now target LZ2 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
The immigrant shuffle.
The Orlando Sentinel reports on a tactic to skirt federal guidelines. Four Guatemalan siblings, detained as undocumented immigrants, spent several days at the Orange County Jail before being picked up in a van and driven around for hours. Finally they reached their destination; right back where they started. This happened because of rules limiting the number of days an undocumented immigrant can be held in a local facility before federal officials must take custody. Multiple immigration attorneys described the shuffle to the Orlando Sentinel, and law enforcement leaders in Orange and Pinellas County confirmed the practice. But the attorneys say it’s a maddening tactic that often leaves them struggling to locate the immigrants, and denies detainees access to family members and due process.
My Safe Florida program accepting applications starting today.
As of August 4, you can apply for free home inspections and grants of up to $10,000 to strengthen your home against storms. Funding was approved for the My Safe Florida program. It prioritizes low- and moderate-income homeowners, especially those 60 and older. The Florida Legislature appropriated $576 million in funding for grants, and over $28 million for home inspections.
Orlando to get DOGE audit.
Orlando became the latest local government to be targeted with an upcoming audit by Florida’s DOGE. It joins Orange County in having the state take a closer look at its books. The letter sent to Mayor Buddy Dyer said state officials intend to be at Orlando City Hall to audit the cities finances. Gov. Ron DeSantis has said audits of local governments will reveal waste and misspending. Specifically, state officials have said they’re targeting spending on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, or DEI, initiatives, as well as so-called “Green New Deal” policies.
Brightline death investigation.
An investigation by W-L-R-N and the Miami Herald shows Brightline trains have struck and killed nearly 200 people since 2018. The company says most of the deaths were suicides. But the investigation found most were either accidents, or the cause was undetermined. Friday on The Florida Roundup, Miami Herald reporter Aaron Leibowitz discussed the role that quiet zones have played in the deaths.
“Communities who don't want the disruption of the train horn can request that the railroads not sound their horns, and that's something that the federal government can approve if they deem that there are enough safety measures in place.”
There are 17 at-grade train crossings in Brevard County.
