Orange County extends ICE detention deal amid budget concerns

Mayor Demings blames government shutdown for lack of progress on renegotiating reimbursement rates

Apr. 1, 2026 at 9:53pm

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Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings has extended the deadline for renegotiating the county's agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain immigrants in the Orange County Jail. Demings cited the partial federal government shutdown as a factor in the lack of progress, with the county seeking a higher reimbursement rate from the federal government to cover the actual costs of detention, which are estimated at $180 per person per day compared to the current $88 reimbursement.

Why it matters

The financial burden of detaining immigrants on behalf of ICE has been a major concern for Orange County, with the county paying more than half the actual cost of detention. Local immigrant rights advocates have also raised issues about potential violations of the agreement, with some detainees being held for more than the 72-hour limit or cycled in and out of the jail. The ongoing negotiations highlight the tensions between local governments and federal immigration enforcement efforts.

The details

Under the current agreement between Orange County and ICE, the federal government reimburses the county $88 per day, per person, to hold ICE detainees in the jail for up to 72 hours. However, county officials say the actual cost of detention is $180 per person. This has left the county and taxpayers on the hook for more than half the actual cost. The number of people held in the Orange County Jail on behalf of ICE rose from 550 in October 2025 to 1,849 in January 2026, before dipping again the following month. More than one-third of those held in January had no other local criminal or civil charges pending against them.

  • On February 14, a partial federal government shutdown began affecting the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE.
  • In mid-February, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings sent a letter to the U.S. Marshals Service, the handler of the county's agreement with ICE, informing them that the county would end negotiations and consider 'future options' if the agency failed to negotiate a higher reimbursement rate by March 13.
  • After receiving an extension request from the federal agency, Demings agreed to extend negotiations through March 31.
  • On April 21, the Orange County Board of Commissioners is expected to receive an update on the results of the county's negotiations with ICE.

The players

Jerry Demings

The Democratic mayor of Orange County, Florida, who is currently running for governor of Florida. Demings is a former county sheriff and has been leading the negotiations with ICE over the reimbursement rate for detaining immigrants in the Orange County Jail.

Ericka Gomez-Tejeda

The organizing director of the Hope CommUnity Center and a coordinator for the Immigrants Are Welcome Here Coalition, a coalition of over 60 organizations and faith leaders in Central Florida. Gomez-Tejeda has criticized Demings for extending the negotiation timeline without a clear deadline.

Grady Judd

The Republican sheriff of Polk County, Florida, and a member of the state Immigration Enforcement Council. Judd has offered criticism of the Trump administration's mass deportation efforts, which local law enforcement agencies are vital for carrying out.

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What they’re saying

“It's disturbing to see such a high-stakes matter being handled without a sense of urgency. Mayor Demings keeps extending the negotiation timeline, this time without a deadline. Meanwhile, we are working to help people unjustly detained and facing deportation who don't have the luxury of playing it by ear and taking it easy. For them, it is really a matter of life or death.”

— Ericka Gomez-Tejeda, Organizing director of the Hope CommUnity Center

“While Congress sits on their hands and does nothing about this, we are on the ground floor with this day in and day out — looking in the eyes of these folks that, yes, came here inappropriately. But some came here inappropriately only to do better for themselves and their family.”

— Grady Judd, Sheriff of Polk County, Florida

What’s next

The Orange County Board of Commissioners is expected to receive an update on the results of the county's negotiations with ICE during their April 21 board meeting.

The takeaway

The ongoing negotiations between Orange County and ICE over the reimbursement rate for detaining immigrants highlight the financial and humanitarian challenges facing local governments that are caught between federal immigration enforcement efforts and the needs of their communities. The lack of progress and extended deadlines have frustrated immigrant rights advocates, who argue that the lives of those detained are at stake.