Lauren Poe Talked ICE and Immigration with Police Leaders at Ignite Life Center
On June 7, former mayor and Greater Gainesville International Center (GGIC) CEO Lauren Poe held a workshop on issues affecting local immigrants with Gainesville Police Department (GPD) Chief Nelson Moya and Alachua County Sheriff Chad Scott at Ignite Life Center (ILC) church, according to public records obtained by GnvInfo.
In October 2024, GGIC moved their principal and mailing addresses to ILC despite several prior arrests of church members for child sexual abuse.
Moya’s officers have arrested and charged multiple individuals for committing sex crimes inside of the ILC church building.
A report by one of Moya’s officers says that in 2022, ILC head pastor and former GPD chaplain Mark Vega said “jail would not resolve the issue” in a private meeting pertaining to child sexual abuse. The meeting, which occurred at Vega’s High Springs home, included his wife and several ILC pastors, along with the victim, her parents and the perpetrators.
ILC acted as a temporary housing space for multiple families of refugees whom GGIC helped settle in Gainesville. Vega announced the program in a June 2024 ILC sermon.
Ignite Life Center head pastor Mark Vega speaks about working with GGIC on their refugee resettlement program in a June 2024 live streamed sermon
On August 9, 2025, the University of Florida nonprofit Gators for Refugee Medical Relief made an Instagram post that said, “In June 2025, GGIC and the Alachua County [Sheriff’s Office] held a joint workshop on the growing ICE presence. They discussed the recently blurred lines of immigration regulation at all levels of government. While GPD is not actively checking documentation, other agencies may work closely with ICE, and encounters can happen unexpectedly.”
Following the post, GnvInfo submitted a public records request to the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) for additional information on the workshop.
ACSO Strategic Projects Manager Katherine Burnett, who also attended the workshop, provided the following statement:
“The Public Safety Workshop was held on Saturday, June 7 at 1 pm. Both Chief Moya and Sheriff Scott were in attendance and were the only law enforcement officers in the room.
The Greater Gainesville International Center rented space from Ignite Life Center, 404 NW 14th Ave, Gainesville, FL.
The topics discussed beforehand were:
1.General safety tips
2.How to report a crime or suspicious activity
3.Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) (basically how to make your home safe through lighting, where you place things, etc.)
4.How to identify and avoid scams
5.Update on immigration activities/enforcement
However, there was not a formal agenda and we [were] relying on an open question formation. Both Chief Moya and Sheriff Scott introduced themselves and spoke about their experience in law enforcement. The progress was slow because we were having discussions in both English and Spanish.
There were quite a few questions on traffic movements – especially where exactly to stop on a red light and on which line and what the pedestrian crosswalks were. Lots of general questions about transportation and getting around, from buses to maps to safety tips about walking.
There was also a lot of information on how to avoid scams and how to verify information. We talked extensively about the phone scams that are going around the county where a person calls and says there is a warrant out for their arrest unless they pay XX amount of money. We talked about ways to verify information and trustworthy sources. We also had questions on hurricane preparedness and shelters.
There were questions about immigration enforcement, but mostly about process and procedures and what documentation they needed to carry at all times. There were questions on what to do if they were detained.”
According to a 2019 Facebook post by the Alachua County Human Rights Coalition and a 2015 report by TracImmigration, ILC had agreements with ICE in their previous immigrant-related programs prior to partnering with GGIC.
GnvInfo asked ACSO Records to confirm Poe and Vega were present during the workshop. ACSO Public Information Officer Chris Sims replied, “Lauren Poe was present the whole time and moderated the event. Mark Vega did come in toward the end and introduced himself when he entered, but it seemed like he was mostly closing up behind everyone and locking up. He was not present for the majority of the event.”
GnvInfo emailed Moya and Scott for comments, and they both responded.
Moya issued the following statement:
“I attended the Greater Gainesville International Center meeting at the request of Katherine Burnett, per Alachua County Sheriff Chad Scott. As the chief law enforcement officer of the city, I believe it is important for my department to be represented in immigration-related discussions. The location of the meeting is irrelevant given the subject matter and regional impact.”
Since he was appointed chief, Moya hasn’t made any statements pertaining to the criminal activity at ILC.
ACSO has nothing to do with the ILC cases, aside from deputies arresting a former associate pastor's son, Noel Cruz, on a warrant that GPD issued.
Scott issued the following statement:
"I take matters involving crimes against children very seriously, and I have zero tolerance for any form of abuse or the failure to protect victims. The safety of our community especially our children remain my highest priority.
The event you referenced was organized and hosted solely by GGIC, a nonprofit organization entirely independent from the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office. I was invited to participate in a workshop to speak directly with attendees about public safety resources and issues important to our community. My attendance was not in collaboration with Ignite Life Center, nor should it be seen as an endorsement of the church, its leadership, or any past actions.
I was not involved in the selection of the venue. Any prior criminal conduct associated with individuals or organizations at that location is deeply concerning to me. My presence there was solely to communicate with the public in the context of the GGIC program, not to engage with or support any unrelated entity.
I remain committed to ensuring that my actions as Sheriff reflect transparency, accountability, and an unwavering commitment to protecting all members of our community especially the most vulnerable."
As of now, GGIC holds an office space at ILC, but they say all refugees have found permanent housing, and they haven't taken in anyone new following an executive order banning refugee resettlement.
