Are we nearing the end of sanctuary cities in Florida? We’re one step closer
Bottom Line:I’m not going to belabor the point that immigration is a federal issue and local governments have no authority to intervene on the issue under any circumstance. What you might be surprised to know is that less than half of Florida fully complies with federal authority on the issue.
- Only 29 of 67 counties in Florida have full Ice detainer agreements in place
- In South Florida only Monroe County operates with one
Palm Beach County Sheriff Rick Bradshaw has stated multiple times that Palm Beach County isn’t a “Sanctuary County” for example, but then you have cities like West Palm Beach – not covered by PBSO- that’d taken action at the city level to not fully comply with federal authority on the issue (West Palm Beach declared itself a “welcoming city”).
A new bill advanced in the state senate would put an end to local governments attempting to usurp federal authority on this issue. The bill, SB 168, which would ban local governments from non-compliance with ICE detainer requests passed committee on a 4-2 vote yesterday. The proposal is widely supported by law enforcement but not by the ACLU. The partisan rhetoric is also ramping up on this one as it’s advancing.
I’ll be crystal clear. Not only should this bill become law in Florida, but if I were AG, I’d prosecute every local official who obstructs justice by taking action not to comply with federal law. I’ll keep you posted.