{"id":202537,"date":"2026-03-23T15:42:08","date_gmt":"2026-03-23T15:42:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/202537\/"},"modified":"2026-03-23T15:42:08","modified_gmt":"2026-03-23T15:42:08","slug":"jerry-demings-applauds-gop-sheriffs-for-speaking-against-federal-immigration-efforts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/202537\/","title":{"rendered":"Jerry Demings applauds GOP sheriffs for speaking against federal immigration efforts"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Credit: Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings\/Facebook<\/p>\n

While Ron DeSantis has\u00a0slammed<\/a>\u00a0a group of local Republican law enforcement officers for saying the federal government needs to recalibrate on immigration enforcement, one Democrat who hopes to succeed DeSantis in the governor\u2019s mansion says it\u2019s about time they spoke up.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey have gone overboard,\u201d Orange County Mayor and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jerry Demings said regarding Immigration and Customs Enforcement\u2019s (ICE) attempts to fulfill President Donald Trump\u2019s goal of mass deportations. \u201cAnd I applaud the sheriffs for finally speaking up about something that was unfair and out of balance.\u201d<\/p>\n

Members of the state\u2019s Immigration Enforcement Council \u2014 four sheriffs and four police chiefs appointed by state GOP leaders a year ago to provide first-hand testimony about immigration enforecement in their communities \u2014\u00a0stunningly said<\/a>\u00a0Monday that they were considering sending a letter urging Trump and GOP congressional leaders to review the guidelines targeting undocumented immigrants for deportation.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile Congress sits on their hands and does nothing about this, we are on the ground floor with this day in and day out \u2014 looking in the eyes of these folks that, yes, came here inappropriately. But some came here inappropriately only to do better for themselves and their family,\u201d Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said Monday during a council meeting.<\/p>\n

Demings spoke to the Phoenix Thursday night while attending a campaign event at Venue 2106 in West Tampa.<\/p>\n

Before he became Orange County mayor in 2018, he served 10 years as sheriff of Orange County, including a stint as president of\u00a0the Florida Sheriffs Association<\/a>, when he was involved in crafting legislation and policies for the entire state. He knows that the sheriffs who spoke out this week still support ICE, he said, but added:\u00a0 \u201cWhat they\u2019re saying is there should be a fair process for those who are nonviolent, noncriminal detainees to seek a pathway to getting lawful status. And I support that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat I\u2019m simply saying here is that it\u2019s a step in the right direction by Florida sheriffs. \u2026 And so, I\u2019m glad to see these conservative sheriffs speak up and say something for a change that was to bring some balance back to the conversation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Demings\u2019 entire career has been in public service, most of it in law enforcement \u2014 first as an officer with the Orlando Police Department before moving up to become chief of police, and then as the elected sheriff of Orange County. Speaking out about what he says has been the divisiveness espoused by the DeSantis administration, he added that his job has always been to help people, regardless of political affiliation.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a locally elected official, I got elected to represent the people of my county,\u201d he told the audience. \u201cAll of them, regardless of who they are. In my 45 years of public service of serving people who were in need, I never, ever looked at someone in need and said, \u2018Before I decide on whether I\u2019m going to help you, are you a Republican? Are you a Democrat?\u2019 I never said that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018Sick and tired\u2019 of preemption legislation from Tallahassee<\/p>\n

As has been the case for years, during the recent regular session Republicans again passed a series of bills preempting local control to Tallahassee. One example is\u00a0SB 1134<\/a>, which if signed would ban municipalities and counties from funding, promoting, or taking official actions related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).<\/p>\n

The measure includes a provision establishing that local officials who violate the ban \u201ccommit\u201d misfeasance or malfeasance in office, which state law says could lead to the governor removing them from office.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s led to concerns from local officials who say the\u00a0bill language is vague and could chill the promotion of Pride and other cultural events.<\/a><\/p>\n

Demings considers the entire bill \u201cfoolishness,\u201d and says it likely will have unintended consequences.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis administration continuously threatens local governments,\u201d he said. \u201cThey\u2019ve done that with me and, at the end of the day, we\u2019re the closest to the people. We represent the people. And we\u2019re sick and tired of having the state preempt local governments\u2019 authority.\u201d<\/p>\n

Demings and the entire Orange County Commission were targeted by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier last summer regarding a dispute about signing an addendum to their 287(g) Warrant Service Officer (WSO) Memorandum of Agreement that allowed county jail officials to transport immigration detainees to ICE facilities.<\/p>\n

As was the case with\u00a0Tampa Mayor Jane Castor<\/a>\u00a0this past week after Uthmeier threatened her with expulsion from office for \u201cforcing sanctuary policies\u201d on her city\u2019s police department, Demings ultimately signed that addendum,\u00a0saying\u00a0<\/a>at the time, \u201cWe signed the damn thing because we really had to. We were put in a tough spot.\u201d<\/p>\n

Demings\u2019 top opponent in his quest to win the Democratic nomination for governor this August is former Pinellas Republican U.S. Rep. David Jolly, with the winner likely to face Republican U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds of Naples in November.<\/p>\n

Demings trails Donalds by seven points, 43%-36%, according to\u00a0a University of North Florida public opinion poll<\/a>\u00a0released earlier this month. (Jolly trails Donalds, 42%-36%).<\/p>\n

There have been very few direct polls between Jolly and Demings for the Democratic nomination.\u00a0A Mason-Dixon survey<\/a>\u00a0conducted in January had Jolly up by just a few points (23%-19%) with the majority (58%) undecided.<\/p>\n

Subscribe to Orlando Weekly newsletters.<\/a><\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\u201cThey have gone overboard,\u201d Orange County Mayor and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Demings said of ICE\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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