POLK COUNTY, Fla. — More than 20 sheriffs from across Florida gathered in Polk County on Monday to discuss how they will work with the federal government to deport undocumented immigrants.
Watch as Fox 4's Anvar Ruziev questions the Sheriffs at the meeting:
The meeting follows an executive order issued by President Trump when he took office on January 20th. It gives local law enforcement more authority in immigration enforcement.
New Powers For Local Law Enforcement:
Before the order, local law enforcement officers could only detain undocumented individuals if requested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Officers themselves did not have the power to enforce immigration laws. Now, deputies can place immigration holds and make arrests for immigration violations without waiting for ICE. This includes situations as minor as a traffic stop.
"If a person was to be pulled over for a traffic infraction, and they have one of those immigration warrants, would they then be arrested and deported?" I asked Sheriff Bob Gualtieri.
"Short answer is yes," he responded.
How Deportation Warrants Work:
A person can only be deported if a judge issues a final order of removal, meaning they have already gone through immigration proceedings and were ordered to leave the country. However, with Florida’s large and diverse population of over 23 million people, concerns have been raised about racial profiling.
When asked what steps would be taken to prevent racial profiling, Sheriff Gualtieri responded, "We don't racially profile."
Addressing Concerns About Racial Profiling:
According to the sheriffs, there are more than 1.4 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S. with active deportation warrants.
"This whole thing is 'Oh, they're going to be out there racially profiling'—no, that's noise," Sheriff Gualtieri said. "Show me where it's happening. Show me what the allegation is, we'll thoroughly investigate it. And if somebody did that, they will be held accountable for it. I'm sure every sheriff up here feels the same way."
ICE states on its website that officers will receive training on multicultural communication and avoiding racial profiling. This will be part of a four-week training program, with additional refresher training required every two years.
FOX 4 TEAM COVERAGE OF IMMIGRATION IN FLORIDA:
