Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier on Tuesday ordered the Key West City Commission to reverse its decision to terminate an immigration enforcement partnership with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, warning that the action violates state law and could subject local officials to removal from office.

In a letter addressed to all six city commissioners, Uthmeier said the June 30 vote to void the Key West Police Department’s 287(g) agreement with ICE directly contravenes Florida’s statutory ban on sanctuary policies. The program, authorized under Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, allows local law enforcement officers to perform certain immigration functions under ICE supervision, including identifying and processing individuals who may be in the country unlawfully.

Key West’s agreement, which had been in effect since 2022, made the city one of only a handful of jurisdictions in Florida to formally partner with ICE under the program. The commission’s vote to cancel it followed weeks of public debate, during which local activists and residents criticized the arrangement as harmful to immigrant communities and outside the city’s core policing mission. Opponents argued the program fostered mistrust between law enforcement and residents and did little to enhance public safety. Ultimately, the commission voted 5-2 to withdraw from the agreement.

Uthmeier said the decision rendered Key West a sanctuary city and placed it in violation of Florida Statutes, which prohibit local governments from adopting policies that interfere with federal immigration enforcement. He warned that by voiding the agreement, the commission not only prevented its officers from enforcing federal immigration law, but also barred them from receiving federally required training to carry out immigration-related duties.

The letter warns that failure to reinstate the agreement may result in enforcement of “all applicable civil and criminal penalties,” including removal from office by the governor. Uthmeier directed the commission to take immediate corrective action to bring the city back into compliance.

The attorney general also pointed to recent arrests in the Florida Keys involving undocumented immigrants with criminal convictions for sex offenses, drug trafficking, and violent crimes. He cited operations conducted by ICE and the U.S. Border Patrol in March, including one involving the Key West Police Department, which led to the arrest of several individuals with prior convictions for lewd and lascivious acts, elder abuse, and drug distribution.