Immigration Justice Team Update: 5/28/26

Here’s what the Immigration Justice Team is up to right now!

Sunday Vigils for Immigrant Justice

Our weekly Vigils for Immigrant Justice will soon surpass 30 consecutive weeks, building a sustained and visible presence for immigrant justice in Pinellas County. What began as a standing witness has grown into a broader organizing and advocacy effort. In partnership with the Pinellas Delegation of the Florida Interfaith Coalition, we are also developing a teach-in presentation that can tour faith spaces and community groups across Pinellas County, focusing on ending 287(g) agreements and local pathways for action. Our Immigration Justice Facts Booklet continues to expand its impact, with over 1,000 booklets distributed. It has now been adapted with Orange County-specific statistics and is being used to support Freedom Vigils and organizing efforts there as well.
Announced Closing of “Alligator Alcatraz”
While announcements regarding the closure of “Alligator Alcatraz” represent an important development, our work is not over. Vigils and organizing efforts will continue until all detention facilities holding people without due process are shut down and immigrant communities are treated with dignity, transparency, and humanity. Moreover, the announced closure of “Alligator Alcatraz” does not erase all that it has left in its wake. An unintended outcome the State may not have anticipated is the emergence and coalescence of hundreds of deeply informed, disciplined faith leaders and community organizers who have used this moment to build a strong, coordinated network of advocacy centered on due process, human dignity, and democratic values. The closure of this facility should not be mistaken for the end of these efforts. Our resolve to restore due process and dignity for all is only just beginning.

June 14th Vigil Outside of “Alligator Alcatraz”
League of Women Voters St. Petersburg Area is helping organize the weekly peaceful vigil outside the Everglades Detention Facility (“Alligator Alcatraz”) on Sunday, June 14. While there have been reports that the facility may be winding down operations, we remember similar claims made last August that never materialized, so we are continuing to organize and prepare until the detention operation is fully shut down. Round-trip bus transportation from Pinellas is being provided thanks to The Workers Circle (donations accepted). Seats are limited and each person must RSVP individually to reserve a spot, so if you are considering joining us, please sign up now.

Stop Local Police Collaboration with ICE: End 287(g) Postcard Campaign
LWVSPA continues its regional efforts to end 287(g) agreements and raise public awareness about how these partnerships erode community trust, drain local resources, and turn local law enforcement into force multipliers for federal immigration enforcement. Our “Stop Police Collaboration with ICE: End 287(g)” postcard campaign continues to gain momentum, with more than 50 postcards sent to elected officials and law enforcement across Pinellas County calling for these agreements to be terminated.