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After media coverage claimed that Florida’s State Immigration Enforcement Council had criticized federal immigration enforcement efforts, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd issued a clarification.
Members of the council “support the mass deportation of illegal aliens — those that are criminals, those that have warrants of deportation, those that are here creating havoc and problems,” he said at a press conference on Tuesday, March 17.
However, he said the council recommends a legal pathway forward for individuals who are not acting criminally and “doing good” in the U.S.
Judd took issue with a headline that characterized comments at the March 16 meeting as rebellion against Trump’s and DeSantis’ mass deportation efforts. He said news stories and headlines that suggest the council’s recommendation was a break or in opposition to Trump or Desantis are offensive.
Throughout the press conference, Judd stressed that law enforcement and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) efforts should be focused on dealing with immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally and committing crimes.
“But if Congress will do their job — and they’re not, and they haven’t — if Congress will do their job and deal with this group, then it frees us up to focus on those that are committing crime, those that are dangerous, those that are violent, those that are paying no attention,” Judd said.
“Why are we in this position? Because Congress is sitting in Washington with their political battles against each other,” Judd said. “And who suffers? The American people do. Congress needs to go to work.”
A pathway to citizenship
Judd said that the council recommended creating a path forward for immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally, but are “doing what’s right,” “not a drag on society,” and “helping the economy.”
“They’re helping the community. They’re adding to the wonderful society that we have in the United States,” Judd said.
He said he had spoken to business leaders in the community who had questioned why individuals who were not committing crimes and had been in the U.S. illegally for years were being targeted, while “nobody’s taking care of the criminals over here.”
Judd shared an example of a woman who was brought to the U.S. illegally by her parents at 17 and is now around 40 years old.
“She’s married to an American. She works. She doesn’t violate the law. She has no criminal history. She’s not currently violating any laws. She’s adding to society,” Judd said. “That’s not the problem. There’s millions of problem people we need to be dealing with. Our conversation yesterday focused on a path forward for those that are here doing what’s right, other than being illegal.”
He said the council recommended setting up a system. “You waive any further due process, if you don’t comply in five years with: learning to speak English; you’re not taking any government handouts or money; you’re working; your kids are in school; you’re socially interacting in the community. Then, if you meet these standards, that you can move up to the next level.”
Judd said only one council member was absent at Monday’s meeting, and all in attendance were in agreement with the recommendation.
“We can’t deal with 10 to 18 million illegal people all at once. All we’re doing is setting priorities and giving an exit ramp to those who came here inappropriately and illegally.”
Florida Immigration Enforcement Council
The Florida Immigration Enforcement Council is made up of four Florida sheriffs and four Florida police chiefs. Judd serves as chair of the council.
“We’re on the ground, eyeball to eyeball,” Judd said. “Our job is to provide ideas and input and not create conflict, but to calm the waters and say, ‘Hey, there’s a better way to do all of this.’ And that’s what we’re recommending, and that’s the feedback we provide.”
“It’s not up to the Florida immigration enforcement board. It’s up to Congress to deal with this issue. And right now, Congress gets an F-minus, if you can get worse than an F, in dealing with this issue.”
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