St. Pete ICE protests continue at Border Protection job fair
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Demonstrators protest a U.S. Customs and Border Protection recruitment event at the Hilton Carillon in St. Petersburg. Photo: Kathryn Varn/Axios
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection recruitment event at a St. Petersburg hotel drew protesters and a heavy law enforcement presence Tuesday.
- Demonstrators are expected to gather outside the Hilton Carillon Park again Wednesday as the hiring effort continues into its second and final day.
Why it matters: The protests build on a weekend of rallies and vigils in Tampa Bay and nationwide following an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent's fatal shooting of Renee Good last week in Minneapolis.
- The local outrage at ICE also extends to Tampa Bay law enforcement departments that partner with the federal agency under a program known as 287(g), organizers told Axios.
State of play: By about 11:15am Tuesday, several dozen protesters had gathered on the sidewalk by the Hilton parking lot, blaring music and holding signs with messages like "Melt ICE" and "ICE murdered her."
- "People need to know St. Pete isn't going to let this happen," demonstrator Michelle Lisan told Axios.
- Across Lake Carillon Drive, a small group of counter-protesters hoisted posters with photos of four people killed by undocumented immigrants, including Laken Riley and Jocelyn Nungaray.
Between the lines: While signs and chants were aimed at ICE, Customs and Border Protection is a separate arm of the Department of Homeland Security.
- However, under the second Trump Administration, Customs and Border Protection has taken a larger — and more aggressive — role in deportation efforts across the country, multiple media outlets have reported.
- The agencies are "two sides of the same coin," said Harrison Lundy of Voices of Florida, one of the groups that organized the protest.
The other side: Customs and Border Protection did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Axios.
- The Department of Homeland Security told WTSP the agency "is taking measures to uphold the rule of law and protect public safety and our officers."
Zoom in: Also on the scene were St. Petersburg police Chief Anthony Holloway and Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, along with dozens of uniformed officers and deputies.
- Officers patrolled along the sidewalk, barring protesters from going in the road with orange traffic cones. At times, cops outnumbered demonstrators.
- Holloway told reporters that police responded to protect protesters and to make sure the hotel entrance and exit remained open. As of 5pm, officers hadn't arrested or cited anyone, a police spokesperson told Axios.
Friction point: Both top cops defended their department's partnerships with ICE under 287(g), saying they're required by law to cooperate. The program enables local law enforcement officers to participate in immigration enforcement.
- The agreements made some organizers more skeptical of the large police turnout.
- "I have a hard time believing that our safety is their priority," Lundy said.