Latest news with #JacksonvilleIllegalImmigrationEnforcementAct
Yahoo
13-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Florida city criminalizes undocumented immigration in historic move to enforce Trump, DeSantis mission
The Brief Jacksonville is in the spotlight as it has become the first city in Florida to pass an ordinance criminalizing undocumented immigration. The ordinance, known as the Jacksonville Illegal Immigration Enforcement Act, was passed in a 12-5 vote by the City Council last week, and it was signed into law on Tuesday. In 2024, 602 undocumented immigrants were detained in Duval County. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) took custody of 334 for deportation, and the rest either served their time or were released on bail. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Jacksonville is in the spotlight after it recently became the first city in Florida to pass an ordinance criminalizing undocumented immigration. The ordinance, known as the Jacksonville Illegal Immigration Enforcement Act, was passed in a 12-5 vote by the City Council last week, and it was signed into law on Tuesday. The historic move enforces the hard push for immigration enforcement in the last few months by President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. What we know The new legislation will make it a local crime for undocumented immigrants to enter or reside in Jacksonville. First-time offenders face a mandatory 30-day jail sentence, while repeat offenders could receive up to 60 days in jail. The bill also allocates resources to help the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office (JSO) identify individuals without legal status. One of the main resources listed in the bill was a request for 25 mobile fingerprint scanners for law enforcement. Jacksonville covers more than 800 square miles, and the bill allocates $76,000 for the additional fingerprint readers. What they're saying City Council Member Nick Howland touted the "public safety" benefits of the ordinance at the council meeting. "We are the first city in the country to enact this kind of bill," Howland told FOX News. "We're standing with our president, with our governor, with our state legislature to secure our borders, to reverse the Biden wave of illegal immigration, and to keep our streets and our neighborhoods safe." Howland said there are two main parts of the bill. "The first is what we've already discussed; it criminalizes entering or residing in Duval County if you are an illegal immigrant," he said. "The second part focuses on determining whether someone is in the country illegally. … This is, at the end of the day, a public safety bill. This is keeping people off the streets that would otherwise endanger our community. And we need to know when someone is legal or illegal and the fingerprint readers help." Howland said even if there are already laws on the books, the new bill adds additional support and flexibility for local police, which he believes makes it worthwhile. "There's nothing redundant about giving police another tool in their toolbox to ensure we have safe streets and neighborhoods," he said. Howland said the new ordinance goes a step further than state and federal laws, making it a local offense to enter or reside within Jacksonville as an undocumented immigrant. It gives Jacksonville authorities more power to enforce immigration violations locally, he said. "This allows the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office to use the new law to detain individuals a bit longer, long enough to potentially turn them over to ICE," he said. Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters said the department has seen firsthand the consequences of "failed border policies on public safety." "The Jacksonville Illegal Immigration Enforcement Act provides our agency with additional tools and resources to help address those threats and ensure that offenders are held accountable," he told FOX News. "Furthermore, it sends a clear message that Jacksonville will not be a sanctuary for criminals who enter our country illegally." The other side While proponents of the law, such as Howland, have boasted about its potential impact on public safety, others have criticized it for its redundancy and the implementation of "stop and frisk" policies. "It has always been my position that we will provide the equipment and resources they need," Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan said in a news conference. "So, they will receive the funding for the 25 fingerprint scanners that have been requested. I wish that alone had been all 2025-147 (the ordinance) was. But, it's not. Instead, it includes language that is hurtful and performative but not substantive. There is nothing in this bill that isn't already required by federal or state law. And, in fact, the state law already carries a harsher penalty. So, why would JSO need to arrest someone under a new local ordinance when they already have a stronger state law?" Deegan noted the city has had an agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) since 2008, and sanctuary cities have been banned in the Sunshine State since 2019. "Any suggestion to the contrary is intentionally misleading," she said. "On top of it being redundant, this bill puts our local government in a lane where it doesn't belong. Courts have repeatedly ruled that immigration enforcement is a function of the federal government." By the numbers According to reports, in 2024, 602 undocumented immigrants were detained in Duval County. ICE took custody of 334 for deportation, according to the legislation, written by City Council Member Kevin Carrico. The rest either served their time or were released on bail. Among those 334 deportation cases, there were 94 charges for battery, 140 for DUI, as well as cases involving murder and sexual assault. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO: Download the FOX Local app for breaking news alerts, the latest news headlines Download the FOX 35 Storm Team Weather app for weather alerts & radar Sign up for FOX 35's daily newsletter for the latest morning headlines FOX Local:Stream FOX 35 newscasts, FOX 35 News+, Central Florida Eats on your smart TV The Source This story was written based on information shared by FOX News.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Florida city criminalizes illegal immigration in historic move to enforce Trump, DeSantis mission
The city of Jacksonville, Florida, ignited an immigration firestorm, criminalizing illegal entry as a city council member touted the "public safety" benefits. Fox News Digital spoke with at-large Jacksonville City Council member Nick Howland on the city's ordinance #2025-0147, known as the Jacksonville Illegal Immigration Enforcement Act, which was passed by the city council 12-5 last week and signed into law on Tuesday. "We are the first city in the country to enact this kind of bill," Howland said. "We're standing with our president, with our governor, with our state legislature to secure our borders, to reverse the Biden wave of illegal immigration and to keep our streets and our neighborhoods safe." The bill not only criminalizes illegal immigration but also allocates resources to help the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office identify individuals without legal status. Trump Admin Unveils Plan Costing Migrants Massive Fine For Every Day They Don't Self-deport One of the main resources listed in the bill was a request for 25 mobile fingerprint scanners for law enforcement. Read On The Fox News App The legislation will also make it a local crime for undocumented immigrants to enter or reside in the city of Jacksonville. First-time offenders face a mandatory 30-day jail sentence, while repeat offenders could receive up to 60 days in jail. "There are two main parts to the bill. The first is what we've already discussed; it criminalizes entering or residing in Duval County if you are an illegal immigrant. The second part focuses on determining whether someone is in the country illegally," he said. Howland said, like most sheriff's offices and police departments, Jacksonville uses fingerprint readers. "This bill helps [Jacksonville] Sheriff T.K. Waters determine how many additional fingerprint readers are needed to equip every patrol unit operating 24/7 throughout the city and county," he said. 'Defund The Police' Movement Turned On Head As Florida Sheriff Touts Achievements In State's 'Murder Capital' Jacksonville covers over 800 square miles, and the bill allocates $76,000 for 25 more fingerprint readers. "That will bring the department's total to just over 150, roughly one for every patrol," he said. "This is critical because it gives the sheriff another tool in the toolbox." READ THE ORDINANCE HERE – APP USERS Click Here In 2024, 602 undocumented immigrants were detained in Duval County. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) took custody of 334 for deportation, according to the legislation, written by City Council member Kevin Carrico. The rest either served their time or were released on bail. Among those 334 deportation cases, there were 94 charges for battery, 140 for DUI, as well as cases involving murder and sexual assault. "This is, at the end of the day, a public safety bill," Howland said. "This is keeping people off the streets that would otherwise endanger our community. And we need to know when someone is legal or illegal and the fingerprint readers help." While proponents of the law, like Howland, have boasted about its potential impact on public safety, others have criticized it for its redundancy and the implementation of "stop and frisk" policies. "It has always been my position that we will provide the equipment and resources they need. So they will receive the funding for the 25 fingerprint scanners that have been requested. I wish that alone had been all 2025-147 was," Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan said in a news conference. Blue State Sheriffs Combine Forces To Fight Back Against Sanctuary Laws "But it's not. Instead, it includes language that is hurtful and performative but not substantive," she said. "There is nothing in this bill that isn't already required by federal or state law. And in fact, the state law already carries a harsher penalty. So why would JSO need to arrest someone under a new local ordinance when they already have a stronger state law?" Deegan noted that the city has had an agreement with ICE since 2008 and that sanctuary cities have been banned in the Sunshine State since 2019. "Any suggestion to the contrary is intentionally misleading," she said. "On top of it being redundant, this bill puts our local government in a lane where it doesn't belong. Courts have repeatedly ruled that immigration enforcement is a function of the federal government." Howland said that even if there are already laws on the books, this adds additional support and flexibility for local police, which makes it worthwhile. "There's nothing redundant about giving police another tool in their toolbox to ensure we have safe streets and neighborhoods," he said. He said the new city ordinance goes a step further than state and federal laws, making it a local offense to enter or reside within Jacksonville as an illegal migrant. It gives Jacksonville authorities more power to enforce immigration violations locally, he said. "This allows the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office to use the new law to detain individuals a bit longer, long enough to potentially turn them over to ICE," he said. "Why is that important? As I mentioned, over 600 people were detained last year, but only 334 were referred to ICE for deportation. With this law, the sheriff's office can hold individuals longer if they've broken the law by entering the country illegally. That means we can increase the number of cases referred to ICE for potential deportation, if necessary." Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters said the department has seen firsthand the consequences of "failed border policies on public safety." "The Jacksonville Illegal Immigration Enforcement Act provides our agency with additional tools and resources to help address those threats and ensure that offenders are held accountable," he told Fox News Digital. "Furthermore, it sends a clear message that Jacksonville will not be a sanctuary for criminals who enter our country illegally." Fox News Digital has reached out to the mayor's office for article source: Florida city criminalizes illegal immigration in historic move to enforce Trump, DeSantis mission
Fox News
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Florida city criminalizes illegal immigration in historic move to enforce Trump, DeSantis mission
The city of Jacksonville, Florida, ignited an immigration firestorm, criminalizing illegal entry as a city council member touted the "public safety" benefits. Fox News Digital spoke with at-large Jacksonville City Council member Nick Howland on the city's ordinance #2025-0147, known as the Jacksonville Illegal Immigration Enforcement Act, which was passed by the city council 12-5 last week and signed into law on Tuesday. "We are the first city in the country to enact this kind of bill," Howland said. "We're standing with our president, with our governor, with our state legislature to secure our borders, to reverse the Biden wave of illegal immigration and to keep our streets and our neighborhoods safe." The bill not only criminalizes illegal immigration but also allocates resources to help the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office identify individuals without legal status. One of the main resources listed in the bill was a request for 25 mobile fingerprint scanners for law enforcement. The legislation will also make it a local crime for undocumented immigrants to enter or reside in the city of Jacksonville. First-time offenders face a mandatory 30-day jail sentence, while repeat offenders could receive up to 60 days in jail. "There are two main parts to the bill. The first is what we've already discussed; it criminalizes entering or residing in Duval County if you are an illegal immigrant. The second part focuses on determining whether someone is in the country illegally," he said. Howland said, like most sheriff's offices and police departments, Jacksonville uses fingerprint readers. "This bill helps [Jacksonville] Sheriff T.K. Waters determine how many additional fingerprint readers are needed to equip every patrol unit operating 24/7 throughout the city and county," he said. Jacksonville covers over 800 square miles, and the bill allocates $76,000 for 25 more fingerprint readers. "That will bring the department's total to just over 150, roughly one for every patrol," he said. "This is critical because it gives the sheriff another tool in the toolbox." READ THE ORDINANCE HERE – APP USERS CLICK HERE In 2024, 602 undocumented immigrants were detained in Duval County. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) took custody of 334 for deportation, according to the legislation, written by City Council member Kevin Carrico. The rest either served their time or were released on bail. Among those 334 deportation cases, there were 94 charges for battery, 140 for DUI, as well as cases involving murder and sexual assault. "This is, at the end of the day, a public safety bill," Howland said. "This is keeping people off the streets that would otherwise endanger our community. And we need to know when someone is legal or illegal and the fingerprint readers help." While proponents of the law, like Howland, have boasted about its potential impact on public safety, others have criticized it for its redundancy and the implementation of "stop and frisk" policies. "It has always been my position that we will provide the equipment and resources they need. So they will receive the funding for the 25 fingerprint scanners that have been requested. I wish that alone had been all 2025-147 was," Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan said in a news conference. "But it's not. Instead, it includes language that is hurtful and performative but not substantive," she said. "There is nothing in this bill that isn't already required by federal or state law. And in fact, the state law already carries a harsher penalty. So why would JSO need to arrest someone under a new local ordinance when they already have a stronger state law?" Deegan noted that the city has had an agreement with ICE since 2008 and that sanctuary cities have been banned in the Sunshine State since 2019. "Any suggestion to the contrary is intentionally misleading," she said. "On top of it being redundant, this bill puts our local government in a lane where it doesn't belong. Courts have repeatedly ruled that immigration enforcement is a function of the federal government." Howland said that even if there are already laws on the books, this adds additional support and flexibility for local police, which makes it worthwhile. "There's nothing redundant about giving police another tool in their toolbox to ensure we have safe streets and neighborhoods," he said. He said the new city ordinance goes a step further than state and federal laws, making it a local offense to enter or reside within Jacksonville as an illegal migrant. It gives Jacksonville authorities more power to enforce immigration violations locally, he said. "This allows the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office to use the new law to detain individuals a bit longer, long enough to potentially turn them over to ICE," he said. "Why is that important? As I mentioned, over 600 people were detained last year, but only 334 were referred to ICE for deportation. With this law, the sheriff's office can hold individuals longer if they've broken the law by entering the country illegally. That means we can increase the number of cases referred to ICE for potential deportation, if necessary." Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters said the department has seen firsthand the consequences of "failed border policies on public safety." "The Jacksonville Illegal Immigration Enforcement Act provides our agency with additional tools and resources to help address those threats and ensure that offenders are held accountable," he told Fox News Digital. "Furthermore, it sends a clear message that Jacksonville will not be a sanctuary for criminals who enter our country illegally." Fox News Digital has reached out to the mayor's office for comment.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
ACLU sues Florida over immigration law that is model for Jacksonville's new law
A lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union challenges the state Florida's immigration enforcement law that Jacksonville used as a model for its law that marks the first time a city will impose jail time for immigration offenses. The ACLU of Florida, ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project and Americans for Immigrant Justice contend the state law authorizes state and local officials to imprison people by using enforcement powers that belong exclusively to the federal government. Jacksonville General Counsel Michael Fackler has told City Council the immigration laws of both the state and the city would face the same legal issues for courts determining whether the laws are constitutional. Opponents of the Jacksonville law have said they expects it will face a legal challenge in federal court. The state law imposes a nine-month misdemeanor prison sentence for anyone 18 and older who comes into Florida after entering the country illegally. A second violation increases the punishment to a third-degree felony with a mandatory sentence of one year and a day and a third offense bring a mandatory two-year prison sentence. The ACLU suit says the state "created it own immigration crimes, completely outside the federal immigration system" by putting local and state police, state prosecutors and state judges in charge of arrests and prosecutions without any control or role by the federal government. Texas, Iowa and Oklahoma previously enacted their own state immigration laws that are facing legal challenges in federal court. Jacksonville will be the first city in the nation to create a local immigration law with jail sentences starting Tuesday. City Council approved the legislation on a 12-5 vote and Mayor Donna Deegan said she will let it become law without her signature. Legal challenge: Immigrant advocates sue Florida over new immigration crackdown law Deegan decision: Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan announces position on bill creating local immigration law The Jacksonville Illegal Immigration Enforcement Act (2025-147) makes it a Class B offense in the city's Ordinance Code for an immigrant who is 18 or older to enter the city of Jacksonville without legal status. A conviction would carry a mandatory 30-day jail sentence. A repeat offender of that law would face a mandatory 60-day jail sentence. Judges would have to order those arrested be held in jail while awaiting trial. The Sheriff's Office would inform federal authorities and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement about anyone arrested under the city law. Deegan and several City Council members opposing the legislation have said it will land the city in court in a losing legal fight. Supporters of the bill say it will give another enforcement tool to Sheriff T.K. Waters. This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: ACLU sues Florida over law that Jacksonville used as its model
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘What it comes down to is safety': Jacksonville councilmen file bills to combat illegal immigration
Two Jacksonville City Council members filed proposals Wednesday meant to crack down on illegal immigration at the local level. One would block illegal immigrants from using city services; the other would provide resources for police. Action News Jax's Annette Gutierrez spoke with both Councilman Rory Diamond and Councilman Kevin Carrico about the reasoning behind these bills. They said they want to double down on the federal initiatives to crack down on illegal immigration. Read: 'Now I have a voice': Jacksonville sheriff joins statewide illegal immigration crackdown These bills come after we learned on Monday that Jacksonville Sheriff TK Waters will serve on a newly established immigration enforcement council created by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Carrico's proposed legislation states the city will fund the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office with 25 fingerprint readers to help the agency accurately identify undocumented immigrants. 'What it comes down to is safety, and the idea of the bill is to create a place where people follow the laws,' Carrico said. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] Meanwhile, Diamond's proposed ordinance states that taxpayer money cannot be used on anyone who is in the country – and city – illegally. He said this includes homeless shelters, food services, and job assistance. The bill said the city has to verify if recipients of services are legal, and if they aren't, Diamond said JSO has the right to arrest them. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Diamond says he wants to keep Jacksonville from becoming a sanctuary city. 'It just says if we're paying the taxes, it should go to people from Jacksonville,' Diamond said. Coming up on CBS47 and FOX30 Action News Jax at 10 and 11, hear from an immigration attorney who reacts to the bills and how they might affect people she tries to help. You can read Diamond's proposed legislation below: GC #1672776 v1 Unauthorized Aliens Reporting Code Amd (Diamond) by ActionNewsJax on Scribd You can read more about Carrico's proposed 'Jacksonville Illegal Immigration Enforcement Act' below: Cvp Carrico Jiiea by ActionNewsJax on Scribd Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
