WEST PALM BEACH, Florida: City officials in Fort Myers, Florida, voted last week to approve a new agreement allowing local police to receive training from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and help with deportations.

This decision reversed an earlier vote that had led to threats of suspension from state officials.

The first two hours of a three-hour special meeting were filled with public comments, mostly from people opposing the agreement. Many were concerned about racial profiling. The presiding officer frequently interrupted speakers who mentioned the vote or thanked council members who had opposed the agreement, saying it was not relevant to Friday's discussion.

Council members then questioned Deputy Police Chief Victor Medico and City Attorney Grant Alley. Council member Darla Bonk criticized Alley for not providing enough legal guidance before Friday's meeting.

"I am deeply concerned that our city attorney failed in his duty," Bonk said. She had initially voted against the agreement earlier in the week. "We were forced to vote on something beyond our legal authority, as a state representative also pointed out at this meeting. This put us at serious personal and professional risk."

The council changed its position a day after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis warned that refusing to approve the agreement could lead to serious consequences, including removal from office. Earlier in the week, State Attorney General James Uthmeier launched an investigation into council members who voted against it, accusing the city of illegally protecting undocumented immigrants.

Councilmember Diana Giraldo raised concerns about the agreement, saying it gave police officers broad powers that could lead to racial profiling. According to the agreement, police would be allowed to arrest undocumented immigrants without a warrant and question anyone they suspect of being an immigrant.

Giraldo also pointed out that Fort Myers had already been working with federal immigration officials for years, rejecting claims that the city was a "sanctuary city."

When asked if the council had broken the law, Alley admitted that the situation was unclear. He typically would have advised seeking guidance from the attorney general, but in this case, the attorney general had already pressured the council to approve the agreement.

"The attorney general is not a court, but they are the top law enforcement officer in the state, and they gave us a directive, not just an opinion," Alley said.

Uthmeier's letter to the city cited new Florida laws requiring state and local law enforcement to support federal immigration enforcement efforts.