Florida Sheriffs Urge Trump to Halt Deportations of Non-Criminal Migrants: 'We're Looking in the Eyes of These Folks'

A group of Florida sheriffs is urging President Donald Trump to halt deportations of undocumented immigrants who have not committed crimes, a notable shift in tone from law enforcement leaders in a state that has pursued some of the country's toughest immigration enforcement policies.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, chair of Florida's State Immigration Enforcement Council, said Monday that deportation policies should distinguish between immigrants with criminal records and those living and working in the country without committing offenses.

"While Congress sits on their hands and does nothing about this, we are on the ground floor with this day in and day out — looking in the eyes of these folks that, yes, came here inappropriately," Judd said during a council meeting reported by Florida Phoenix. "But some came here inappropriately only to do better for themselves and their family."

"There are those here that are working hard, they have kids in college, are in school, they're going to church on Sunday," Judd added. "Those are the folks we need in this country that we embrace, because we are a country of immigrants."

Several members of the council, which includes four sheriffs and four police chiefs appointed by Florida's Republican leadership, voiced support for the proposal.

The comments represent a departure from Florida's recent immigration policies under Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has promoted close cooperation between state law enforcement and federal immigration authorities and supported the removal of undocumented immigrants from the country.

Judd said the council's priority remains removing undocumented immigrants who commit crimes, but he suggested that immigrants without criminal records could be subject to civil penalties instead of deportation.

"We're going to give you five years, and you've got to learn to speak English. You've got to pay a fine for coming into the country illegally," he said. "And you've got to not be on the taxpayer dollar, and you've got to work, and you've got to put your kids in school."

Florida lawmakers are simultaneously debating the scope of the state's immigration enforcement efforts. The state House and Senate remain divided over whether to extend Gov. DeSantis' authority to use money from Florida's Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund for immigration operations. The fund, originally created to respond to natural disasters, has been used to finance detention facilities and other enforcement activities.

The dispute was left unresolved as the legislative session ended without a finalized budget, and lawmakers are expected to revisit the issue during a special session IN aPRIL focused on budget negotiations later this spring.