DORAL, FLA. (WSVN) - Mayor Christi Fraga highlighted promising signs while acknowledging growing immigration and financial anxieties gripping the community during Doral’s annual State of the City address.
“It is truly an honor to welcome you here,” Fraga opened during her address at Doral City Hall.
The mayor pointed to what she called strides in the community over the course of the last four years.
“Overall crime has dropped by 60%,” said Fraga.
From policing efforts to sending assistance to disaster-stricken countries through organizations like Global Empowerment Mission, Fraga talked up some of the major accomplishments that officials and residents have had a strong hand in.
“Our community did what it does best, it showed up and it showed up big,” said Fraga.
Her Thursday evening address did not go without alluding to some things that have weighed on the mind of a city that’s home to the largest Venezuelan population in the U.S.
“Many of our neighbors are hurting right now,” said Fraga.
The increased immigration crackdowns across the country and parts of South Florida, including the revocation of temporary protected status for many immigrants, have become a contentious topic for Doral officials, with several activists raising concerns in recent weeks.
“Families are living with uncertainty and businesses are feeling its impact,” said Fraga.
Local leaders and business owners previously gathered outside Doral City Hall in September to warn officials about the profound impact the crackdowns have had on them.
Even outside of emptier businesses, residents and business owners say they’ve noticed a substantial change, with more people electing to stay home from doctors appointments and even keeping their kids home from school.
“I’ve never seen the city so desolate, so empty and residents so scared,” said Doral resident Liz Rebecca Alercon.
More than once, Doral leaders have been called to end any collaborative efforts enforcing immigration laws with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents after entering into a 287(g) agreement that allows Doral police to perform certain immigration enforcement functions under ICE supervision.
“The people of Doral need police that they can trust, not roving immigration patrols,” said Sam Lester with ACLU Florida.
The mayor has repeatedly assured that, despite that 287(g) agreement, none of Doral’s officers are enforcing immigration in the city. Doral Police Chief Matthew Castillo has also stated his officers are not taking part in any immigration enforcement operations.
Despite that, activists have been adamant on the city to rescind its agreement with ICE.
Fraga once again addressed this on Thursday.
“I can’t pretend the city controls every law or every policy or every decision that affects our residents. We simply do not. But leadership requires us to listen, to care, advocate responsibly,” said Fraga.
While the mayor has continuously expressed those sentiments, there has been no indication by city officials to formally exit the 287(g) agreement with ICE.
Copyright 2026 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.