The State of Florida and local law enforcement throughout the state are getting nearly $40 million to help state and local immigration enforcement efforts.
The kickbacks announced Friday come as a result of those 287(g) agreements, which allow for non-federal law enforcement officers to be deputized to act as immigration officials.
Florida is unique in the scope of its participation, with not only state law enforcement, but also all 67 sheriffs entering into the agreements.
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$28 million is going directly to the state, while $10 million will be spread out among local law enforcement.
According to state leaders, more than 4,700 law enforcement officials throughout the state hold Designated Immigration Officer status through 287(g) agreements.
RELATED: UNF campus police officers participating in immigration enforcement training with ICE
“The American people have spoken. They want the border enforced and they want interior enforcement of the laws of this land and that’s what the men and women who work for DHS are doing with our support,” said Governor Ron Desantis.
Those officers have facilitated thousands of immigration arrests this year, with more than 700 in St. Johns County alone.
“We’re not backing down in the State of Florida. I recommend the other states take a picture of what’s going on today,” said St. Johns County Sheriff Rob Hardwick.
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State law requires law enforcement agencies to enter into 287(g) agreements with ICE, but immigration attorney Hector Diaz has serious concerns about the expansion of the program.
Specifically, he said he fears a recent US Supreme Court ruling setting more lenient profiling standards for non-citizens could lead to issues for citizens while dealing with local law enforcement.
“Because he doesn’t know he’s not a US citizen until he crosses that line, that barrier. So, there’s a big conflict,” said Diaz.
And as more and more officers are deputized, Diaz said he believes the conflict between those two profiling standards will become more apparent.
“Most states don’t want to get involved in that type of policing because of the different standards that there are,” said Diaz.
The federal dollars awarded Friday are specifically for law enforcement agencies, not other immigration efforts like Alligator Alcatraz and Deportation Depot, which are estimated to cost hundreds of millions of dollars.
That money will be reimbursed through a FEMA grant, according to the Deputy ICE Director.
Watch the full news conference here.
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