Florida Congressman Carlos Gimenez (R) commented on the recent evaluations conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for a new detention facility in Orlando.
The facility ICE is potentially looking at is a large warehouse in Orlando intended to address increasing capacity needs as other detention centers are beginning to exceed maximum capacity.
In an exclusive interview with The Floridian, Rep. Gimenez, when asked whether he supports this newest ICE development, responded by saying, “I’m not so sure about all these detention facilities,” adding that he has been critical of the way ICE has been conducting its most recent raids.
Gimenez continued, arguing that “we need the detention facility that we need,” and clarified that the facilities he is referring to should be solely designated for “criminals and gang members,” not people who have been in the country for 20 years.
“We need detention facilities for those who are criminals and gang members, and those who have active deportation orders. They are bent on deporting just about everybody, and people who have been here about 20 years, I don't believe in that,” Gimenez said.
When asked about the government funding bill, a potential shutdown, and how Democratic Party pushback plays a role, Gimenez said that Democrats are risking another shutdown -- one that would place federal institutions such as FEMA, TSA, and the Department of Homeland Security in jeopardy -- in an attempt to stop ICE from receiving funding, despite ICE already receiving "billions of dollars” worth of funding from the One Big Beautiful Bill.
He also said he believes that Congress and President Donald Trump can and will come to an agreement to prevent the government from shutting down again.
“I don't even know how much leverage they [Democrats] have, but the president wants to deal with it and probably find some kind of a compromise that the Congress is more than willing to allow,” Gimenez remarked.
The Florida Congressman concluded the interview by lamenting that Republicans and Democrats could have worked together to solve the immigration issue, but that the overarching problem has now gotten “a little bit out of hand.”
