{"id":134096,"date":"2026-01-27T22:32:07","date_gmt":"2026-01-27T22:32:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/134096\/"},"modified":"2026-01-27T22:32:07","modified_gmt":"2026-01-27T22:32:07","slug":"leon-county-commission-accepts-500k-grant-to-reimburse-expenses-incurred-for-ice-cooperation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/134096\/","title":{"rendered":"Leon County Commission accepts $500K grant to reimburse expenses incurred for ICE cooperation"},"content":{"rendered":"

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – The Leon County Commission voted 6-1 on Tuesday to accept a $500,000 grant to reimburse the expenses the sheriff\u2019s office has and will incur for cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).<\/a><\/p>\n

Under state law, the sheriff\u2019s office is required to cooperate with ICE in enforcing federal immigration laws, a sheriff\u2019s office spokesperson said. So, they need reimbursement from the State Board of Immigration Enforcement in the form of a grant.<\/p>\n

Leon County commissioners debated whether or not to accept that grant during their Tuesday meeting. <\/p>\n

The Leon County Sheriff\u2019s Office senior executive director and CFO, Elise Gann, told commissioners that if they denied the grant, the sheriff\u2019s office would be reimbursed with local tax money. <\/p>\n

Commission Chairman Christian Maddox said the county has been placed in a \u201cvery hard spot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m having a hard time putting the sheriff\u2019s office $500,000 under when we could use the grant dollars,\u201d Maddox said. <\/p>\n

Commissioner Rick Minor referenced the recent immigration crackdown in Minnesota and the recent deadly ICE-involved shootings. He also acknowledged the state law that requires local departments to cooperate with ICE.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is not immigration enforcement,\u201d he said. \u201cEvery sheriff\u2019s office must assist ICE.\u201d<\/p>\n

More Tallahassee news:<\/p>\n

The sheriff\u2019s office CFO fielded several questions from commissioners on Tuesday and said immigration enforcement will not increase if the grant is accepted. <\/p>\n

\u201cA yes vote means the state pays for this. Today\u2019s vote only determines who pays for this,\u201d Minor said. <\/p>\n

LCSO\u2019s CFO says the sheriff\u2019s office has now spent about $29,000 to support immigration enforcement, and has had 87 ICE detainers at the Leon County Detention Facility.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe grant has already been agreed to by the sheriff,\u201d Commissioner David O\u2019Keefe said. \u201c$250,000 of the grant is for overtime and training for 62 LCSO employees to be trained for immigration enforcement.\u201d<\/p>\n

The CFO says LCSO deputies will not get a bonus for immigration enforcement because they won\u2019t be participating in any immigration task forces.<\/p>\n

Commissioner David O\u2019Keefe voted against accepting the grant. <\/p>\n

\u201cThis is not public safety, this is stoking fear,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s my job to protect dignity and humanity.\u201d<\/p>\n

Maddox, meanwhile, motioned to accept the grant. <\/p>\n

\u201cYou, the taxpayers, will be paying if we don\u2019t accept these services. I put my trust in the sheriff to make sure some of the things we\u2019ve seen across the country don\u2019t happen here,\u201d the commissioner said. \u201cI made the motion not in support of ICE, but to support the sheriff on things he\u2019s been made to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

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