{"id":199096,"date":"2026-03-20T12:30:07","date_gmt":"2026-03-20T12:30:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/199096\/"},"modified":"2026-03-20T12:30:07","modified_gmt":"2026-03-20T12:30:07","slug":"gov-desantis-criticizes-sheriffs-over-immigration-enforcement-tallahassee-reports","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/199096\/","title":{"rendered":"Gov. DeSantis Criticizes Sheriffs Over Immigration Enforcement \u2013 Tallahassee Reports"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Ana Go\u00f1i-Lessan, The News Service of Florida<\/p>\n

Gov. Ron DeSantis rebuked some of Florida\u2019s top law enforcement officials Thursday, criticizing their calls to Congress and President Donald Trump to work on a path to citizenship for some undocumented immigrants.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis idea that unless you\u2019re an axe murderer you should be able to stay, that is not consistent with our laws, and it\u2019s also not good policy,\u201d DeSantis said at an event in Bradenton.<\/p>\n

On Monday the State Immigration Enforcement Council, a group of local law enforcement officials who were appointed to advise the State Board of Immigration Enforcement on illegal immigration enforcement, decided to send a letter to federal government officials asking them to work on a path to citizenship for noncriminal undocumented immigrants who pay a fine.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy job as governor is to do what\u2019s best for the people, not what any one person who gets elected in one county thinks,\u201d DeSantis said.<\/p>\n

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, chair of the council, said Monday that immigrants who aren\u2019t criminals should be able to stay in the country, under certain conditions. Other council\u00a0 members, like Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri and Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell, agreed with him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s right\u2019s right, and what\u2019s not\u2019s not,\u201d Gualtieri said at the meeting, \u201cAnd going after the mom, who\u2019s got three kids, who\u2019s just trying to make a living, who\u2019s been here for 15 years\u2026that isn\u2019t right, and they do need to fix it.\u201d<\/p>\n

DeSantis said Florida has become the national standard for illegal immigration enforcement after enacting legislation and pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into law enforcement, state-run detention facilities, and working directly with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho does (border czar) Tom Homan cite as the way to do this? He cites Florida without hesitation,\u201d DeSantis said. \u201cWe\u2019ve got to keep the momentum going, we certainly don\u2019t want to backtrack on this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Judd and Gualtieri, two of the four sheriffs on the council, have consulted the DeSantis and legislature over the past couple of years about local law enforcement\u2019s role in illegal immigration enforcement.<\/p>\n

The switch to advocating for a path for citizenship is a 180-degree turn for Judd. Last year 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 suggested writing a letter to elected officials, including Trump, the Speaker of the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate Majority Leader, and federal agencies to work on a path to citizenship.<\/p>\n

All council members except Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters, who was not at the meeting, agreed.<\/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 Judd told council members.<\/p>\n

After receiving backlash for his comments, at a press conference the day after the meeting, Judd said he heard from sheriffs across the state who called him in support.<\/p>\n

The sheriff, who stood his ground and again called for the federal government to work on a path to citizenship for some undocumented immigrants, calling it \u201ccommon sense.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re not a drag on society. In fact they\u2019re helping society. We need to find a path for them,\u201d Judd said.<\/p>\n

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