In a move that has sparked controversy, Jacksonville's Democrat Mayor, Donna Deegan, has reportedly instructed the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office to refrain from enforcing immigration laws.
This directive was issued through the City of Jacksonvilles Office of General Counsel, a body appointed by the mayor herself.
According to Breitbart, the news was revealed by Jacksonville City Council President-Elect Kevin Carrico during an interview with Floridas Voice. Carrico expressed his shock at the directive, stating, The Office of General Counsel sent a letter to the sheriff telling him, do not enforce the state illegal immigration law and do not enforce the local illegal immigration law that weve been on this show talking about.
Carrico criticized the move as an overreach, predicting that the attorney general and possibly Governor Ron DeSantis would intervene. He further expressed his concern over the potential implications of the directive, stating, This doesnt seem like a good idea our attorneys at the city thought it was a good idea to tell the sheriff not to do his job [and] handcuff their ability to enforce illegal immigration laws that were passed by this council. And that is breaking news, my friends.
The new guidance, which was obtained by Action News Jax, suggests that a federal injunction on the state law would also apply to the citys ordinance, as it was modeled after the state law. Council Vice President Kevin Carrico, who sponsored the local immigration bill, explained, The reason we passed this bill, one of the main reasons, is its a mandate from the President.
This development comes amidst ongoing efforts to combat illegal immigration in Florida. On May 29, a raid led by HSI Tampa resulted in the arrest of over 100 illegal immigrants at a construction site in Tallahassee. Authorities reported that some of these individuals had previously been deported or had criminal records. The arrested individuals hailed from countries including Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Colombia, and Honduras.
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, among other agencies, expressed their support for the operation, stating, Florida leads the way. We will not tolerate illegal immigration. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement also commented on the arrests, noting, Over 100 illegal aliens at a Florida job site some previously deported, some with rap sheets. All of them thought no one would notice. Florida noticed.
Governor DeSantis praised the successful operation and announced that federal authorities are now pursuing the subcontractor responsible for hiring the illegal immigrants. This comes as part of DeSantis's ongoing efforts to prioritize immigration enforcement in Florida.
In May, he announced that his administration had submitted a plan to the federal government to contribute new detention facilities and expanded apprehension efforts to their ongoing mission to reclaim Americas sovereignty. He also revealed that 100 Florida Highway Patrol Troopers have been sworn in as Special Deputy U.S. Marshals, enabling them to execute federal warrants.
The directive from Jacksonville's mayor stands in stark contrast to these efforts, raising questions about the future of immigration enforcement in the city and potentially setting the stage for a clash between local and state authorities.
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