In a sweeping response to local and national immigration debates, the Jacksonville City Council has passed a divisive ordinance mandating new reporting requirements for city grant recipients. Reported by Jacksonville Today, the ordinance, introduced by Councilman Rory Diamond, prohibits organizations from allocating city funds to assist undocumented immigrants. It also tasks the mayor's office with ensuring that no state or federal funds are spent on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
Despite vocal discontent expressed through rallies and protests outside City Hall, the council approved the measure, potentially affecting the support systems for a vulnerable segment of the population. Ordinance 2025-0138 has sparked a wave of debates across Jacksonville, where demonstrators outside the Duval County Courthouse recently voiced their opposition to immigration raids nationwide - a protest fueled by President Trump's deployment of military forces to quash similar unrest in California, as reported by Action News Jax.
Mayor Donna Deegan, apprehensive about the implications of the new ordinance, is contemplating her response. A spokesperson indicated, per Jacksonville Today, that the mayor "has concerns about the bill" and is considering her options diligently. The ordinance also drew a strictly partisan line during the City Council vote, passing with an 11-7 margin.
After the contentious voting session, Councilmember Jimmy Peluso, who opposed the bill, rallied with protestors, asserting, "You did the right thing. You spoke for your neighbors, you spoke for your community. You spoke for what was right. Now let's make sure that the rest of the council continues to hear you and let's see if we can make this right in the next couple of weeks. We still have, the mayor to talk to"—as covered by First Coast News. Meanwhile, Maria Garcia, one of the organizers with the Jacksonville Immigrant Rights Alliance, condemned the ordinance as "political stunt," emphasizing the city's pressing socio-economic issues instead.
Despite the pushback, Diamond defended his position, remarking on X, "Tonight the Council PASSED my bill 2025-138 that stops funding for illegals aliens in Jacksonville. Tonight we stood for the rule of law. To night we said we aren’t Los Angeles. Tonight we said with conviction that Jacksonville will never be a sanctuary city," as per First Coast News.
