ORLANDO – Officials of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Miami sub-office in Orlando, Florida, received Claudia Bustamante, Consul General of Colombia, and Sandra Marcela Tafur Soto, Second Consul for the Consulate of Colombia, Oct. 18, 2019.

During the visit, Assistant Field Office Director (AFOD) Conrad Agagan and Supervisory Detention and Deportation Officer Irene Jenkins from ERO Orlando provided Bustamante and Tafur a tour of the ERO Orlando building, an ERO program overview, and stressed the agency's commitment to transparency and working in coordination with the Consulate of Colombia. They also expressed their appreciation for the support the consulate has given ERO in the past.

“The importance of maintaining relationships with our working partners cannot be overstated,” said Miami Field Office Director Michael W. Meade. “This visit is just one example of how ERO leaders across Florida are working to make our communities safer for everyone.”

“Meeting with the local Colombian Consulate is one more way that we can build on our partnerships and maintain transparency of ERO’s roles and missions,” Miami sub-office Orlando AFOD Agagan added. “When people understand the operational missions of ERO, it makes the process better for everyone.”

Bustamante expressed her appreciation for ERO’s willingness to help the Consulate in its responsibility to guarantee the legal and human rights of Colombian nationals. “As the newly-appointed General Consul of Colombia in Orlando, it’s important to know and understand the different processes and procedures involving our nationals. We appreciate that ERO took the time to explain to the Consulate how they work.”

Other agenda items discussed during the visit included an overview of the local ongoing travel document issuance process for Colombian nationals detained by ICE; requests by the Colombian Consul for a visit and tour of other ICE facilities such as the Jacksonville and Tallahassee detention centers; and plans to convene additional meetings to discuss ongoing issues. Emphasis was placed on how to better identify victims of crime and human trafficking, as well as informing the consulate of other noteworthy events and issues.

ERO Miami’s mission is to identify, arrest, and remove aliens who present a danger to national security or are a risk to public safety, as well as those who enter the United States illegally or otherwise undermine the integrity of our immigration laws and our border control efforts. The ERO Miami-Orlando sub-office works with local, state, and federal law enforcement and government partners to maintain safety in our communities