{"id":522890,"date":"2026-01-17T13:51:32","date_gmt":"2026-01-17T13:51:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/522890\/"},"modified":"2026-01-17T13:51:32","modified_gmt":"2026-01-17T13:51:32","slug":"jacksonville-protestors-bash-ice-operations-demand-city-employee-who-posted-controversial-video-be-reinstated","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/522890\/","title":{"rendered":"Jacksonville protestors bash ICE operations, demand city employee who posted controversial video be reinstated"},"content":{"rendered":"

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.<\/strong> \u2013 Protestors organized on Friday outside Jacksonville\u2019s City Hall downtown to condemn recent operations by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and demanded that a city employee who was placed on leave following a controversial video be reinstated.<\/p>\n

Yanira \u201cYaya\u201d Cardona, the city\u2019s Hispanic Outreach Coordinator, was placed on administrative leave due to violating policy after warning residents of reported ICE operations in a viral Facebook Live video. The Duval GOP is calling for her to be fired. Mayor Donna Deegan said she was placed on leave simply for violating policy and not for the content of the video that sparked controversy and captured the attention of state leaders. Basically, Deegan said, she communicated a message that wasn\u2019t cleared by the Mayor\u2019s Office and did it while she was on the clock. <\/p>\n

In the video, posted on Instagram<\/a>, Cardona addresses the recent reports about increased ICE enforcement across Northeast Florida.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you get pulled over, as much as we want to huff and puff, please comply,\u201d Cardona said in the video.<\/p>\n

In the video, Cardona also asked families to have a plan in case they get arrested and to \u201cstay home\u201d if there\u2019s no need to go outside.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/b>Deegan says employee was placed on leave for policy violation, not for discussing reported increased ICE presence<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

Mayor Donna Deegan addressed the situation<\/a>, stating that she was clearing up misinformation caused by an \u201cunfortunate distraction\u201d that forced her to step away from working for the Jacksonville community.<\/p>\n

Deegan made it clear that she disagreed with Cardona\u2019s actions while emphasizing that she did not have an issue with the content in the video.<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing that she shared said anything about anyone who is here illegally. It was simply giving the community information that was freely available, and also giving information about their legal rights,\u201d Deegan said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was nothing she said that was illegal,\u201d she continued, stating that Cardona\u2019s comments came from a place of \u201ccompassion.\u201d<\/p>\n

When asked if she would part ways with Cardona, the mayor said, \u201cShe\u2019s going to have to decide if this is something she can do. Hopefully, she will decide that she can live by those rules because I would hate to lose her, honestly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Organizers disagreed with the decision and asked Deegan to reinstate Cardona.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want ICE to stop terrorizing our city and we want her [Deegan] to stand with us,\u201d they said. \u201cYaya has done a lot for our city, a whole lot, yeah, she\u2019s got a big mouth, me too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another said that Deegan should have been the first to speak out against ICE.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf she loves them then speak for them, fight for them,\u201d a protestor said. \u201cWe have to defend them we have to stand up. Yaya was in the right and I will never ever defend anyone who silents a woman. Put her back in and do better.\u201d<\/p>\n

A protester\u2019s sign that read \u201cAnyone but Deegan 2027 A bold city needs a bold leader,\u201d had a list of demands.<\/p>\n

\u201cReinstate Yaya, call on JSO to end 287g (the partnership between the Jacksonville Sheriff\u2019s Office and ICE), acknowledge the ICE presence in Jacksonville, speak up for the immigrant community, and no more masked ICE,\u201d the sign reads.<\/p>\n

Protester holds sign with list of demands for Mayor Donna Deegan after a city employee was placed on leave after posting a video about the recent ICE raids. (Copyright 2026 by WJXT News4JAX – All rights reserved.)<\/p>\n

Gonzalo Keinick with the Jacksonville Immigrants Alliance spoke about people concerned with ICE\u2019s unmarked presence in Jacksonville.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith zero identification or accountability…yet ultimately the thing our leader is willing to punish someone streaming in their office with warning of this danger to the people that our government is supposed to protect,\u201d Keinick said.<\/p>\n

Deegan emphasized that all parties \u2014 including ICE agents and immigrants \u2014 must adhere to the law.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople need to follow the law, and that includes everybody,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Deegan said her office has not determined when Cardona\u2019s administrative leave would end.<\/p>\n

Cardona\u2019s remarks have also drawn attention from state officials, such as Attorney General James Uthmeier, who took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to condemn the comments made in the video.<\/p>\n

Kiyan Michael, Representative of Florida\u2019s State House District 16, also responded to the remarks made in the video.<\/p>\n

\n

My office will be writing a response on this. Absolutely unacceptable! Her actions are not in alignment with Florida\u2019s immigration laws. I want to know how many more taxpayers dollars are paying for salaries encouraging lawlessness? @JamesUthmeierFL<\/a> https:\/\/t.co\/beYzkZFUj3<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 KiyanforFl (@kiyanforfl) January 15, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The Chairman of the Republican Party of Duval County also put out a statement, calling for Cardona to be fired.<\/p>\n

\u201cUsing a taxpayer-funded position to spread misinformation or interfere with lawful law enforcement is unacceptable and fundamentally incompatible with public service,\u201d Charles Barr said in a statement on Thursday. \u201cAdministrative leave is not sufficient. If these actions are confirmed, Ms. Cardona should be permanently removed from her position.\u201d<\/p>\n

This week, conversations about the presence of ICE in Northeast Florida have ramped up after dozens of community members, especially in the Hispanic community, have reported a notable increase in immigration-related arrests.<\/p>\n

On Wednesday evening, immigration attorney Andrea Reyes held a livestream via Facebook<\/a> to address the recent reported ICE raids that have taken place across the area and to inform people about their rights.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am hosting this livestream on behalf of those who have been detained, those who are still detained, and for our people who are living with so much fear,\u201d Reyes said in Spanish as she struggled to hold back the tears. \u201cI want us to be aware that this is not going to change overnight, with $170 billion… things are only going to get worse.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Jacksonville Immigrant Rights Alliance sent out a statement denouncing the surge in ICE sightings and calling for the community to come together.<\/p>\n

\n

For the past several days, a wave of immigration raids has terrorized Jacksonville and the surrounding area.<\/p>\n

This escalation, empowered by local 287(g) agreements between JSO and immigration enforcement, has brought targeted operations to our schools, paralyzed local businesses as patrons fear leaving home, and created an atmosphere of raw panic. Our neighbors are left to deal with the fallout\u2014families torn apart, incomes lost, and lives thrown into crisis as loved ones are detained.<\/p>\n

JIRA\u00a0stands in unwavering solidarity with every immigrant resident, worker, and family enduring this brutality. We call on all people of conscience in Jacksonville to stand with us.<\/p>\n

The state\u2019s strategy is fear. Our answer is organized action.<\/p>\n

Jacksonville Immigrant Rights Alliance (JIRA)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

News4JAX has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) multiple times in recent days to get more information regarding the reported increased ICE presence in the area, as well as the number of arrests, but it has not responded to our requests.<\/p>\n

Copyright 2026 by WJXT News4JAX – All rights reserved.<\/p>\n