Pinellas Schools won’t enforce ICE agreement school police chief signed without authorization

Pinellas County Schools are backing off from an agreement with the federal government to deputize school police for immigration enforcement efforts.

Luke Williams, chief of Pinellas County Schools Police, signed the agreement authorizing officers to question people’s immigration status and detain them for turnover to immigration enforcement officials, according to a statement a district spokesperson sent to Florida Phoenix last week.

However, the school board and superintendent didn’t authorize Williams to sign that agreement and didn’t know he had.

ICE removed Pinellas police from its list of agencies with a pending agreement.

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Republished with permission from the Florida Phoenix.

– Florida Phoenix