Marathon rally backs immigrant community after border patrol incident

An alleged gun threat at a Marathon jobsite turned into a public show of support for immigrant families, as about 60 people gathered May 5 in Oceanfront Park behind Marathon City Hall and heard roughly a dozen speakers denounce federal immigration tactics.

The rally came one week after a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent reportedly held a gun to the head of a legal worker in Marathon. Organizers had first planned to bring their concerns directly to the Marathon City Council during a workshop set for April 28, where they wanted elected officials to pass a resolution backing the island’s immigrant population. The city later canceled that workshop because there were no agenda items to discuss, and the group moved its message outside City Hall instead.

The dispute has centered on a complaint filed by Marathon business owner Yadira Blanco with the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, which investigates fraud, waste, abuse, mismanagement and misconduct involving DHS personnel and programs. One account identified the company involved as Design Center and the worker as Vladimir De La Torre, who said Cabral walked onto the jobsite and called workers “illegals.” A Change.org petition calling for Cabral to be removed and arrested had gathered 2,647 verified signatures.

Speakers at the rally described fear, deportations and the strain of aggressive enforcement on daily life in the Middle Keys. Mary Ackroyd, a key figure with the Justice for Immigrants Coalition, said the online reaction to the rally included cruel comments, underscoring how the fight over immigration now stretches from city meetings to social media. The volunteer-run coalition says it works in Monroe County through education, advocacy and outreach, including bilingual outreach and “Know Your Rights” messaging.

The controversy has unfolded against a longer local backdrop. Public commenters raised immigration concerns at a Jan. 27 Marathon workshop, and a Feb. 14 arrest video involving Cabral circulated in the Keys. U.S. Customs and Border Protection says its Marathon Station has maintained a permanent Border Patrol presence in the Florida Keys since 2001, and the Miami Sector lists Marathon as one of its stations. Marathon city records also later showed a canceled May 26 workshop, suggesting the debate over enforcement and trust in local institutions is far from over.