MIAMI – A woman who was dragged out of a heated Miami-Dade County Commission meeting and arrested during a protest over immigration policy on Thursday was released from jail a day later and had nothing to say to Local 10 News as she walked out of the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
Commissioners were discussing a rubber-stamp agreement, required by state law, for the county jail to hold inmates on behalf of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Those who came to the commission meeting thought that commissioners were instead discussing law enforcement cooperation agreements with ICE.
They believed that commissioners were trying to stop them from speaking on the matter.
The item was about to be deferred, which meant that public speaking should probably be deferred. But no one seemed to understand that.
A woman, later identified as Camila Ramos, ended up being dragged out of the meeting amid loud protesting over the issue.
Deputies arrested Ramos, 36, of southwest Miami-Dade, on charges of aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting with violence after accusing her of punching one of them.
“Police say you landed a punch with a closed fist. Is that true?” Local 10’s Janine Stanwood asked Ramos as she left TGK without any reply.
4:30 p.m. report:
Another attendee, Zachary Spicer, 25, of northeast Miami-Dade, was arrested on a misdemeanor resisting arrest without violence charge.
Commission Chair Oliver Gilbert later clarified the matter.
“It’s not on mass ICE agents. It’s not on rating work sites. It’s not on any of those things. That’s not before this board,” Gilbert said. “If that were before this board, the position the issue would be positioned differently, substantially. What’s before us is, unless I’m incorrect about this, Madam Attorney, is an agreement that has already been executed.”
The item was deferred, but because they ended up having public speaking on the issue, when commissioners bring the item back, there will likely not be another public hearing unless the commissioners decide otherwise.
Friends of Spicer, who said she goes by “Z”, waited for her outside of Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on Thursday night.
Meanwhile, Ramos was released from jail after posting her bond of $7,500.
