Lehigh Acres Fire says it is not involved in immigration enforcement after ICE vehicle sighting

Residents in Lehigh Acres are questioning the fire department's involvement with ICE after Border Patrol vehicles were seen Monday morning in the parking lot of Lehigh Acres Fire Station 107.

The Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District addressed the concerns in a statement, saying, “To clarify, the Fire District is not detaining, transporting, or holding individuals at any of our facilities. Our personnel are not involved in immigration enforcement activities.”

Photos taken by a community member at 6:45 a.m. showed the vehicles parked at the station, sparking online conversations about whether the fire department was assisting ICE in detaining individuals.

Community advocates in the area said the presence of the vehicles has created fear and mistrust among residents.

“The fear of now going to the fire department or calling the fire department because they saw a Border Patrol vehicle as well as a transport van, which many people have seen. That's where people detainees are, you know, often transferred into,” a community advocate said.

Lehigh Acres Fire declined an interview and referred all inquiries to their statement.