Edwin Lopez sworn in as Miami police chief. Here’s what he says about immigration
Edwin Lopez has been sworn in as the next police chief in the city of Miami, formalizing a changing of the guard as Mayor Eileen Higgins enters her sixth month in office.
Lopez, who’s led the Doral Police Department for the last three years, said during his swearing-in ceremony Tuesday at the Arsht Center’s Ziff Ballet Opera House that he wants to balance “compassionate” policing with a “zero tolerance” approach to crime.
“Anybody who preys on any vulnerable member of our community, you have my commitment that we will work relentlessly to put them behind bars,” Lopez said.
Lopez is replacing outgoing Police Chief Manuel Morales, who was named chief during the previous administration under former Mayor Francis Suarez. Following the dramatic ouster of former Police Chief Art Acevedo, Morales took over as interim chief in 2021. He officially became chief in early 2022, helming the Miami Police Department for Suarez’s second mayoral term.
Lopez’s hiring is an extension of the city’s leadership changes under Higgins. Lopez was chosen by Miami City Manager James Reyes, whom Higgins selected shortly after her December election.
Like Higgins and Reyes, who both came from the county, Lopez is a newcomer to Miami city government. He spent the bulk of his law enforcement career with the Miami-Dade Schools Police Department before he became Doral police chief in 2023.
READ MORE: Who is Edwin Lopez, Miami’s new police chief from Doral?
Speaking at Tuesday’s ceremony, Higgins said Lopez “is not a stranger to this community. He is a product of it.”
The mayor addressed the topic of immigration, noting that about one out of every two Miami residents are foreign-born.
Last summer, under the previous city administration and Morales’ leadership, the City Commission voted 3-2 to enter what’s known as a 287(g) agreement with ICE. A year later, the city’s immigration enforcement agreement with ICE remains intact. Higgins has said she opposes the agreement but that it’s up to the City Commission to move to undo it, since she does not have a vote on the commission.
Commissioners are planning to discuss the city’s 287(g) agreement at the next meeting on June 25.
Higgins said Tuesday that under Lopez’s leadership, “every person in this city — regardless of immigration status — will be treated with dignity, respect and humanity.”
Speaking to the Miami Herald after the ceremony, Lopez said his “zero tolerance” philosophy does not apply to immigration enforcement, but to “people that are trying to harm children, people that are breaking into houses, people that are stealing cars, people that are murderers.”
“That’s my main priority here,” Lopez said. “That’s my zero-tolerance mindset.”
The newly minted chief said he will be focused on enforcing Florida statutes. Asked if he plans on collaborating with federal immigration enforcement officials, Lopez said he needs to evaluate any existing agreements.
“But my priority is not to enforce anything related to immigration,” Lopez said.
Lopez starts the job as Miami’s top cop with a $325,000 salary — over $70,000 more than the approximately $254,000 he earned in Doral.
The pay bump comes with increased responsibilities. Lopez will go from overseeing a department with about 200 sworn officers in a city with over 81,000 residents to leading the Miami Police Department’s nearly 1,400 sworn officers in a city with about a half-million residents.
The Herald reported in late April that Lopez was a leading candidate to replace Morales, who is slated for retirement this year. Last month, Reyes publicly named Lopez as the next police chief, with the caveat that there would be a “transition period” between Morales leaving and Lopez taking over.
Morales’ last day as chief was Sunday, according to city spokeswoman Helena Poleo, and Lopez assumed the role of chief on Monday. For now, Morales will stay on in an advisory role.
Lopez’s hiring in Miami set off something of a ripple effect among local law enforcement agencies, with Miami Springs Police Chief Matthew Castillo taking over Lopez’s position as the top cop in Doral. Castillo is scheduled to be sworn in as Doral police chief on Wednesday.
This story was originally published June 16, 2026 at 2:14 PM.
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