Tallahassee – All of the state’s 67 counties have agreed with federal immigration authorities to detain undocumented immigrant criminals in prisons, Florida Sheriff’s Association says President Donald Trump’s massive deportation efforts announced on Monday as they are in a hurry to help.
The agreement ensures that the county complies with some of the state laws (SB 2-C) passed at a special legislative meeting aimed at promoting enforcement of illegal immigration. Under the agreement, specially trained sheriff’s deputies can place prisoners in prison to handle immigrant “detainees” issued by federal authorities. Inmates can last up to 48 hours before being greeted by US immigrants and customs enforcement officers.
The “Written Services Officer” program is a key part of the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigrants, focusing on undocumented immigrants who committed crimes or have been ordered to be deported by judges. I’m guessing it.
Gualtieri has worked closely with Trump administration officials in making changes to what is known as the “287(g)” program, which allows local law enforcement agencies to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement efforts. .
“Their priorities are criminally illegal, public security threats, national security threats, and arresting and deporting people who have previously been deported and returned as soon as possible,” Guartieri said. spoke on Monday at a press conference in Winter Haven. “The most pressing needs they have are people booked in our prisons. Therefore, these people have not been released into our community to commit more crimes.”
Training for agents to join the program that Gualtieri said was suspended during former President Joe Biden’s tenure is expected to increase soon.
“We are on track to implement a process that allows all prisons to retain these offenders and hope to fully operate within the next 15-30 days,” Gualtieri said. “This is a big deal because these criminals, killers, stealers, people breaking into people’s homes, people raping children will be expelled directly from prison and not released into the streets. Because… that makes sense from the prison from here, as opposed to the prison that goes back to the street.”
As state and local efforts accelerate, sheriffs warn that they need to quickly increase the number of beds available to undocumented immigrants waiting for the Trump administration to be treated and deported. did. Federal immigration authorities have around 2,000 beds in Florida.
Pinellas County Sheriff said 150 undocumented immigrants are being held in detainees in prisons with 3,000 inmates.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said bed capacity is a “number one” issue for federal immigration authorities. Florida sheriffs are implementing an inventory of available beds, but the expected rise in the county’s enforcement efforts could “overwhelm our current ability to house people in just a few days.”
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“The Florida sheriff’s or county jail has no capacity to make a negligible difference,” Judd said. “We’re going to overwhelm this system very quickly and be very proactive, and that’s why we’re making this statement today. They need to create capabilities.”
Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Plumel, president of the Sheriff’s Association, said the sheriff’s office is educated on “very complicated” immigration laws as the federal government improves its enforcement program.
“It’s all very fluid,” Plumel said. “We’re all trying to learn and learn how this works. … There’s still a lot of confusion in DC, so sometimes the right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing. That’s why. , we are trying to fully incorporate what is going on here, so we can start implementing the policies, procedures and what is needed to get the job done to keep our citizens safe here. ”
The new Florida Immigration Act also established the state Immigration Executive Committee. It consists of Governor Ron DeSantis, Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, Attorney General James Usmier and Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis. The decisions made by the Board must be unanimous. The board met for the first time last week and was appointed executive director Larry Keefe, a former Florida federal prosecutor who served as DeSantis’ “Public Security Emperor.”
Lawmakers during the special session also approved measures (SB 4-C) that make undocumented immigrants attempting to enter or enter Florida. Those who violate the law face a mandatory nine months’ sentence.
Kara Gross, director of the Legislative Bureau and senior policy advisor for the American Civil Liberties Union in Florida, told reporters Monday that the law “will lead to ramp-prolonged racial profiling” for people who are perceived as immigrants. Ta.
“This law and the rhetoric surrounding it inevitably leads to racial and ethnic profiling of people who are perceived as immigrants based on their skin color, voice accents, the neighborhood they live in, or restaurants. It creates an environment, and the business that they often happen,” Gross said.
However, the sheriff pushed back when asked if the new law would lead to racial profiling.
“We’re tired of hearing that crap. It’s BS,” Judd said.
He argued that local and federal officials were targeting undocumented immigrants who committed crimes or those ordered to leave the country.
“Take a deep breath. Save that crazy story for someone else. …We’re full of illegal immigrants committing crimes and warrants to deport those who flaunt their systems. “You have a plate of. Follow what the federal government says to you when you tell you to do it,” Judd said.
– Dara Cam, Florida news service