Florida’s So-Called Venezuelan Capital, Known As ‘Doralzuela,’ Is Facing an Immigration Backlash

Doral, the Florida city long considered a haven for Venezuelan exiles and often referred to as “Doralzuela,” is confronting a shift that few in the community expected. Known for its strong support of hardline policies in the name of safety, the city now finds itself at the center of a new immigration enforcement push that many see as a direct threat to the very people who helped shape it.

According to El Nuevo Herald, local officials are finalizing an agreement with the federal immigration agency ICE that would allow Doral police to interrogate, detain, and process individuals suspected of violating immigration laws. The move is part of a broader revival of the 287(g) program, which permits local law enforcement to carry out duties typically reserved for federal agents. Once suspended in 2012 after widespread reports of racial profiling and unlawful detentions, the program was brought back on January 30.

Doral or ‘Doralzuela,’ a City Built by Migrants Now Faces Their Withdrawal

The decision has raised concerns across Doral, where nearly three-quarters of residents were born outside the United States and 40 percent are of Venezuelan origin. Once viewed as a stronghold of hardline sentiment on crime, the community now faces the consequences of policies that many fear will erode trust between immigrants and police, silence victims of crime, and force people back into the shadows.

While city leaders insist the agreement is not intended to criminalize immigrants, the implications are clear to many. Residents who once voted for officials promising order and protection now fear a future of indiscriminate detentions and shrinking public safety. Similar agreements have already taken root in nearby cities like Hialeah and Coral Gables, where officers are permitted to detain individuals based on perceived immigration status.

A History of Legal Shifts Leaves Venezuelans Vulnerable

For Venezuelans in particular, the program arrives after years of legal uncertainty. Federal policy changes previously moved to revoke Temporary Protected Status for over 300,000 Venezuelans, canceled humanitarian parole programs, and deported hundreds without due process. Many now view the new pact as a continuation of policies that have repeatedly targeted their community.

In a city built by migrants and exiles, Doral’s embrace of federal immigration enforcement signals a departure from the protections once expected by its residents. As the agreement nears approval, many brace for the arrival of a different kind of police presence—one no longer seen as a safeguard, but a threat.