Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a contract last week that could be immediately represented to patrol officers on the Florida State Highway to carry out the functions of federal immigration officials, with the union president representing the majority of the troopers concerned about the decision. It's there.
DeSantis has had a series of discussions with law enforcement officials and Floridians, and Floridians affected by illegal immigration, about new laws needed to help the Trump administration counter illegal immigration. the governor's office said in a statement.
He signed a memorandum between the Florida Highway Patrol and the US Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) and gave troopers the authority to exercise immigration rights.
“Governor DeSantis understands the role of law enforcement and wants to provide the strongest immigration law possible. Statement announced by Desantis.
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Florida Highway Patrol Vehicle (via Images via Sam Navarro/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service)
“The troopers are going to do what they are told to do. …We'll be part of the spear,” says William Smith of the Florida Highway Patrol Chapter of the Florida State Police Charity Association, Fox News He told Digital. “But it's good to know that… there's extra funds.”
The latest memorandum comes as DeSantis criticised the new immigration reform bill passed by the Florida Legislature.
“The bill passed by the Florida Legislature… would not respect our promises to voters, we would not be able to meet at that moment, and would actually weaken the enforcement of national immigration,” the governor said. . Press conference.
“We are the most in the country regarding immigration enforcement that guarantees national and local deportation support, ensures catch and release, eliminates magnets such as remittances, and adopts support policies that protect Florida. You need to have strong laws.”
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Desantis wants to require counties and cities to participate in the federal deportation program and seek authority to suspend officials who do not comply. He also wanted to make it a national crime to enter the United States illegally, so he wanted people to show their identification and immigration status before returning home.
Congressional immigration priorities The forced death penalty for illegal immigrants convicted of capital offences, strengthening sentences for illegal immigrant gang members, expanding shared information among law enforcement agencies, strengthening and training the enforcement of governance for the prohibitions of state laws of civil servants. Law enforcement officers supporting the ICE Task Force include strengthening financial incentives.
Fox News Digital reached out to Ice and Desantis' offices for comments.
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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis will make a speech at Christian United in 2023 for the Israel Summit in Arlington, Virginia on July 17, 2023. (Anna Money Maker/Getty Images)
“What's going on with the legislature and the governor now…we're almost caught up in the middle,” Smith said. “We don't have any additional funds to pay for these additional obligations. …You know, it's easy to sign a piece of paper and say, “You can have the troopers do that now.” “Okay, well, are you going to pay me more? ”
Smith, who has been a trooper on the Florida Highway Patrol for 41 years, supports the need for immigration reform, but the agency has already been underfunded for years and believes it doesn't have enough money to run it. It's there.
“The concern for our progress is that we need to increase our pay. … troopers and people who work every day… they still have food on the table and buy homes and raise children. You need to know that you can and its nature,” he said. “For now, the starting wage troopers are permanent apartment residents.”
Smith said the faculty is hiring more troopers to hire in the upcoming 2025-2026 budget, seeking $12.9 million from Congress. He explained that it would take about $27 million to be fully funded to the agency.
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migrants walk to Mexico after being deported from the United States at El Chaparral's pedestrian border bridge in Tijuana, Mexico on January 21, 2025. (Felix Marquez/AP)
After DeSantis signed the memorandum, Smith revealed that “more questions than answers” remained.
“There was no guidance from the governor's office on what our role would be or what our training would be,” he said. “How many troopers does he want to assign to this?”
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Smith said there are currently nearly 150 troopers available on the Highway Patrol, and the governor wants to cut the positions of 25 troopers.
“It's like taking a step forward and two back,” Smith added.
Paul Steinhauser of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.
