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ACCURATE SEVEN DAY FORECAST. NEW AT NOON DEMOCRATS IN ORANGE COUNTY ARE NOW CALLING ON PEOPLE HERE TO STAND UP TO ICE. IT ALL COMES AT A TIME WHEN THE IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT AGENCY IS REPORTEDLY INCREASING ITS PRESENCE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA. WESH TWO BOB HAZEN TELLS US LOCAL DEMOCRATS ARE HOPING MORE PEOPLE WILL ORGANIZE AND GET INVOLVED. THE ORANGE COUNTY JAIL SAYS THERE ARE MORE THAN 130 PEOPLE BEHIND BARS HERE RIGHT NOW WITH IMMIGRATION HOLDS, BUT NO LOCAL CHARGES AND DEMOCRATS HERE IN ORANGE COUNTY SAY ICE HAS GONE TOO FAR. I ASKED A UNITED STATES CITIZEN EVERY TIME I GO OUT, I’M LIKE, DO I HAVE MY PASSPORT CARD? SAMUEL VILCHEZ SANTIAGO CAME HERE FROM VENEZUELA. HE’S NOW A DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE FOR STATE HOUSE IN ORANGE COUNTY. HE AND A GROUP OF OTHER CANDIDATES AND COUNTY PARTY LEADERS CAME TOGETHER TODAY TO CALL ON PEOPLE TO JOIN THEM AND TRY TO PUSH BACK ON ICE. MY CALL TO ACTION TO YOU IS SIMPLE JOIN THE MOVEMENT. WESH TWO REPORTED LAST WEEK THAT ICE IS NOW LOOKING AT OPENING A FACILITY NEAR THE BEACH LINE IN ORANGE COUNTY, AND THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS OF LARGE NUMBERS OF IMMIGRATION AGENTS RENTING HOTEL ROOMS. I GOT NUMBERS FROM THE ORANGE COUNTY JAIL SHOWING HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE BEING HELD ON ICE DETAINERS AS OF 5:00 THIS MORNING, THERE WERE 201 PEOPLE HERE WITH AN IMMIGRATION HOLD AND LOCAL CHARGES AND 138 PEOPLE WITH AN ICE HOLD AND NO LOCAL CHARGES. ACTIVISTS HERE SAY FAMILIES WHO HAD BEEN TRYING TO FOLLOW THE RULES NOW LIVE IN FEAR. THEY DIDN’T CALL ON PEOPLE TO CONFRONT ICE DIRECTLY, BUT THEY DO WANT PEOPLE TO GET INVOLVED. THERE ARE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE WORKING ACROSS THE COMMUNITY TO GET ACTIVE WITH, WHETHER THAT BE PROTESTS OR KNOWING YOUR RIGHTS OR BEING ABLE TO TRACK THE SITUATION AT HAND. EVERYBODY HAS A VOICE AND I ENCOURAGE THOSE WITH THE PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE TO STAND UP IN THIS MOMENT, TO COME TO THE FOREFRONT OF THE FIGHT. COVERING ORANGE COUNTY IN ORLANDO, BOB HAZEN WESH T
Orange County Democrats claim ICE is taking things too far in Central Florida
Updated: 1:49 PM EST Jan 21, 2026
Democrats in Orange County are urging residents to organize and oppose the increased presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Central Florida, as the agency reportedly plans to expand its operations in the area.Samuel Vilchez Santiago, a Democratic candidate for the state House in Orange County who immigrated from Venezuela, joined other candidates and county party leaders to encourage community involvement. Reports indicate that ICE is considering opening a facility near the Beachline in Orange County, and there have been accounts of large numbers of ICE agents renting hotel rooms.According to the Orange County Jail, as of 5 a.m. on Wednesday, there were 201 individuals held with immigration holds and local charges, and 138 people with ICE holds and no local charges. Activists express concern that families trying to comply with the law now live in fear. While the activists did not call for direct confrontation with ICE, they emphasized the importance of community involvement. “There are organizations that are working across the community to get active, whether that is protests, or knowing your rights or being able to track the situation in hand. Everyone has a voice and I encourage everyone with the privilege to come to the forefront of the fight,” Jarred Cornell said.
Democrats in Orange County are urging residents to organize and oppose the increased presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Central Florida, as the agency reportedly plans to expand its operations in the area.
Samuel Vilchez Santiago, a Democratic candidate for the state House in Orange County who immigrated from Venezuela, joined other candidates and county party leaders to encourage community involvement.
Reports indicate that ICE is considering opening a facility near the Beachline in Orange County, and there have been accounts of large numbers of ICE agents renting hotel rooms.
According to the Orange County Jail, as of 5 a.m. on Wednesday, there were 201 individuals held with immigration holds and local charges, and 138 people with ICE holds and no local charges.
Activists express concern that families trying to comply with the law now live in fear.
While the activists did not call for direct confrontation with ICE, they emphasized the importance of community involvement.
“There are organizations that are working across the community to get active, whether that is protests, or knowing your rights or being able to track the situation in hand. Everyone has a voice and I encourage everyone with the privilege to come to the forefront of the fight,” Jarred Cornell said.
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