In the heart of Florida, a complex dance between state law and local enforcement is unfolding. As the SUNRISE MOVEMENT stages protests at the Krome North Service Processing Center in Miami-Dade County, the spotlight turns to how local law enforcement agencies are responding to state mandates on immigration enforcement.
The stage was set over a year ago when Florida enacted laws requiring local law enforcement to assist the federal government in immigration enforcement. However, the response from agencies across the state has been far from uniform.
Statewide Compliance: A Mixed Picture
At a recent meeting of the State Immigration Enforcement Council Florida’s top law enforcement officials discussed the varying degrees of compliance among the state’s 394 law enforcement agencies. According to data from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement 272 agencies have active 287(g) taskforce officer agreements. Of these, 163 agencies are considered ‘active operational,’ meaning they have made one or more 287(g) arrests. The remaining 109 agencies have yet to make an arrest.
The council has decided to send letters to non-compliant agencies, urging them to adhere to state law and report monthly data to the FDLE. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, chair of the council, emphasized the importance of compliance, stating, ‘I want to encourage them. I don’t want to see them publicly embarrassed for not complying with the law.’
The Role of Police Departments
While county sheriff’s departments are required to enter into 287(g) agreements, police departments are not. However, Florida law stipulates that police departments should use their best efforts to support federal immigration law enforcement. The Fort Lauderdale Police Department for instance, currently does not have a 287(g) agreement with Immigration and customs enforcement (ICE).
Of the 9,026 designated immigration officers in the state, only 17% are police officers. This disparity highlights the varying roles and responsibilities of different law enforcement agencies in immigration enforcement.
Funding and Incentives
The State Board of Immigration Enforcement has approved approximately $148 million in funds to local law enforcement to assist with federal immigration enforcement. About $13.6 million of that has already been disbursed to 34 agencies, according to Transparency Florida.
Anthony Coker, director of the State Immigration Enforcement Council, made it clear that grants for immigration enforcement will not be given to law enforcement agencies that do not enter into 287(g) agreements or do not report data to the state.
Challenges and Sympathies
Pinellas county Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, a member of the council, expressed sympathy for agencies struggling to comply. ‘Follow the law, do what you’re supposed to do,’ he said. ‘There’s no glitches, either you’re doing it or not.’
Sheriff Judd clarified the expectations, stating, ‘We’re not suggesting that people gather up at Home Depots or Lowes and target people. We’re not suggesting they go into agriculture fields or work sites.’
As Florida continues to navigate the complexities of immigration enforcement, the state’s law enforcement agencies face increasing pressure to comply with new mandates. The coming months will reveal how these agencies respond to the call for full participation in federal immigration enforcement efforts.
