Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office for the first time is asking the state for money to support its immigration enforcement efforts.
On Dec. 17, Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet approved $2.4 million for 10 law enforcement agencies — the third time they’ve approved funding for local immigration enforcement costs, bringing the total to $21 million.
The money comes from a $250 million program created during a special session on immigration that DeSantis sought shortly after President Donald Trump’s inauguration to help reimburse local agencies for their assistance.
Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office was approved for $490,000 from the state’s Local Law Enforcement Immigration Grant program to cover detention beds, officer bonuses, overtime and transportation.
The largest portion of the request — $320,000 — would pay for immigrant detention over nine months.
Bed space for immigrants suspected of being in the country illegally has been a challenge nationwide.
Although the federal Department of Homeland Security has increased detention capacity, it is still limited in Florida and nationwide, said Anthony Coker, who replaced Larry Keefe as executive director of the State Board of Immigration in October.
There are about 72,000 people suspected of being in the country illegally who are detained across the country, Coker said.
“Florida is doing amazing,” he said. “We are a large part of the number.”
Now the state’s grant program offers specific guidelines on how local agencies can get funding and what it can be used for, including training and equipment. The program will be funded each year by the Legislature.
Earlier this year, the Tampa Police Department requested $430,000 to deputize additional officers and cover overtime for all personnel working with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The other agencies receiving a share of the $2.4 million requested also are using it for updated equipment, including full-body security scanners and AI language translators.
Martin County Sheriff’s Office sought money for pepper spray, goggles, helmets and bulletproof vests.
Volusia County Corrections sought a full-body security scanning system worth approximately $139,000 to detect contraband and check for fevers that could indicate potential health concerns.
The Havana Police Department in Gadsden County has requested over 257,000 in funding, primarily for equipment including universal AI language translators to help officers communicate during stops and “immigration-focused activities.” The department serves a town of roughly 2,000 residents and has reported no immigration-related stops in the state’s encounter database since August.
The state also wants to see data. On Dec. 17, DeSantis and the Cabinet approved new data collection rules requiring law enforcement agencies to report specific information on their interactions with those suspected of being in the country illegally. That would include whether the local agency called Immigration and Customs Enforcement, how federal officials responded, and the name and contact information for the detained person’s employer.