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Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd withFlorida Attorney General James Uthmeier last February discussing Operation Bloodline and Operation Flatline. Credit: Grady Judd\/Facebook<\/p>\nPolk County Sheriff Grady Judd withFlorida Attorney General James Uthmeier last February discussing Operation Bloodline and Operation Flatline. Credit: Grady Judd\/Facebook<\/p>\n
A group of sheriffs on a state immigration enforcement board sharply criticized the federal government\u2019s mass deportation efforts Monday, a stark departure from hardline policies in Florida, where Gov. Ron DeSantis has spearheaded collaboration with federal officials to remove all undocumented immigrants.<\/p>\n
Some members of the State Immigration Enforcement Council, which is comprised of four sheriffs and four city police chiefs, said immigrants who aren\u2019t criminals should be able to stay in the country, under certain conditions.<\/p>\n
\u201cThose are the folks we need in this country that we embrace, because we are a country of immigrants,\u201d said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, council chair. \u201cBut we have allowed, what I call the criminal troublemaker, to just flood in this country and victimize people. And I think a path for the good folks with a good intention, for the right reason, is reasonable.\u201d<\/p>\n
The shift is notable in Florida, where DeSantis pushed for a state law last year requiring state and local law enforcement officials to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement efforts. That law also set up the council. And Florida was the first state to set up makeshift detention centers such as \u2018Alligator Alcatraz\u2019 in south Florida.<\/p>\n
While the council\u2019s priority continues to be to remove undocumented immigrants who are violating the law, members have significantly softened their stance for immigrants who do not have criminal records.<\/p>\n
Judd said he had heard from conservative Republicans who \u201care active politically and active economically politically\u201d who were concerned about some immigrants \u201cthat now under this particular set of circumstances are being swept up and taken out of the country.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are those here that are working hard, they have kids in college, are in school, they\u2019re going to church on Sunday, they\u2019re not violating the law, and they\u2019re living the American dream,\u201d he told council members.<\/p>\n
Judd, who has been a staunch supporter of DeSantis\u2019 immigration enforcement push, said he spoke with a Cabinet member who spoke to Trump about \u201cthis kind of immigrant,\u201d and the president was \u201cnot anti that conversation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Less than a year ago, in a council meeting, Judd asked Trump to sign more executive orders to allow state law enforcement to expedite the removal of undocumented immigrants, including those who do not have removal orders or criminal records.<\/p>\n
But on Monday, Judd said the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency isn\u2019t deporting those who are mentally ill or \u201chave challenges\u201d and instead removing people who \u201care healthy and can work.\u201d<\/p>\n
He and other sheriffs lamented there was \u201cnothing we can do about it,\u201d and blamed Congress for not working on immigration issues.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey need to get off their butts and they need to fix it,\u201d said Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummel.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Judd suggested writing a letter to elected officials, including Trump, the Speaker of the U.S. House and the Senate Majority Leader, and federal agencies to work on a path to citizenship.<\/p>\n
But that doesn\u2019t mean they\u2019d get a free pass, Judd said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re going to give you five years, and you\u2019ve got to learn to speak English, You\u2019ve got to pay a fine for coming into the country illegally, a civil fine,\u201d Judd said. \u201cAnd you\u2019ve got to not be on the taxpayer dollar, and you\u2019ve got to work, and you\u2019ve got to put your kids in school, and we already know those people who are doing that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Florida is different, Prummel said, because law enforcement isn\u2019t \u201cjust raiding businesses and homes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut unfortunately, when ICE gets involved, you have the collaterals, and that\u2019s what\u2019s happening,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
In January, ICE raids in Minnesota targeted neighborhoods, restaurants and schools, and spurred protests, with agents killing two U.S. citizens during enforcement operations in Minneapolis.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve not had any conflict out of the community because we\u2019re not going into strawberry fields or citrus groves, or construction sites, it\u2019s not necessary to do that,\u201d Judd said.<\/p>\n
Last May, however, ICE and state law enforcement, including the Florida Highway Patrol and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, raided a Tallahassee construction site about a mile away from the Florida Capitol and detained approximately 150 people, the majority of whom were deported.<\/p>\n
Pitch in to help make the Tampa Bay Journalism Project a success.<\/a><\/p>\n Subscribe to Creative Loafing newsletters.<\/a><\/p>\n Follow us:\u00a0Google News<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0NewsBreak<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Reddit<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Instagram<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Facebook\u00a0<\/a>|\u00a0BlueSky<\/a><\/p>\n This article appears in Mar. 12 \u2013 18, 2026<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n \t