Doral Mayor Christi Fraga said overall crime has dropped by 60% over the past four years, touting that record during the city’s annual State of the City address Thursday evening at Doral City Hall.
Fraga also pointed to the city’s disaster assistance work, including aid sent to countries hit by disasters through the group Global Empowerment Mission. She credited residents for turning out in large numbers at community events.
She did not avoid the concerns weighing on the city, which has the largest Venezuelan population in the U.S. “Many of our neighbors are hurting right now,” Fraga said. “Families are living with uncertainty and businesses are feeling its impact.”
Immigration enforcement has become a contentious issue in Doral. Federal crackdowns and the revocation of temporary protected status for many immigrants have drawn protests, and local business owners gathered outside City Hall in September to describe the effects. A Doral resident, Liz Rebecca Alercon, said she had never seen the city so empty and residents so scared.
Doral has a 287(g) agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that allows police to perform certain immigration functions under ICE supervision. Activists have repeatedly asked the city to end it. Fraga and Police Chief Matthew Castillo have said Doral officers are not enforcing immigration laws in the city, and city officials have not moved to exit the agreement.
Fraga said the city does not control every law or policy that affects residents, but that leaders must listen and advocate responsibly.
