Florida's tough-on-immigration reputation hit a surprising speed bump this week when a majority of members on the state's new immigration enforcement council publicly urged federal officials to tap the brakes on mass deportations. They pushed for slower removals and limited, conditional stays for immigrants who have not committed crimes. The comments came during a meeting of the State Immigration Enforcement Council, where Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, a longtime ally of Gov. Ron DeSantis, said many of the people being swept up "are the folks we need in this country." The shift highlights growing operational strain in a state that has aggressively partnered with federal authorities on removal operations.
During the meeting, council members "sharply criticized the federal government's mass deportation efforts," and Judd called for a more targeted approach, according to CBS Miami. The remarks quickly ricocheted beyond Florida, feeding a wider national fight over how far local law enforcement should go in helping carry out broad federal deportation campaigns.
Council Set Up By New State Law
The council itself is a product of Florida's 2025 immigration enforcement package, which requires state and local law enforcement agencies to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. The body is composed of four county sheriffs and four city police chiefs, with Judd serving as chair, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The structure has nudged counties toward expanded 287(g)-style arrangements and put serious pressure on jail capacity across the state, complicating efforts to run large-scale operations, WLRN reported.
Detention Sites And Past Raids Put Pressure On Sheriffs
The debate is playing out against a backdrop of expanded detention space and headline-grabbing raids. Reporting by The News Service of Florida (via Tallahassee Reports) detailed deportations from a remote Everglades processing site known as "Alligator Alcatraz." Local outlets also covered a May 2025 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement sweep that arrested more than 100 people at Tallahassee construction sites. That same month, a broader multi-agency operation led to roughly 1,120 arrests over six days, according to The Washington Post.
Sheriffs Float Conditional Path For Some Immigrants
In response to the mounting pressure, Judd floated an alternative that would spare non-criminal immigrants from immediate removal if they meet specific conditions. His proposal, as described by The Daily Beast, includes civil fines, mandatory English classes and work requirements, along with a limited, five-year path for people who are on the job and supporting families. Judd and other council members framed the idea as a pragmatic way to focus on criminal suspects while allowing others who are contributing locally to stay under tight restrictions.
A Notable Break With DeSantis
This repositioning stands out in a state where DeSantis championed the 2025 enforcement law and publicly pressed local agencies to help federal deportation efforts, The Washington Post reported. Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell, who serves as president of the Florida Sheriffs Association, voiced frustration with what he sees as a disconnect between Washington and the ground-level reality. "They need to get off their butts and they need to fix it," he said, according to CBS Miami.
National Backlash Shapes Local Calculus
Council members also cited immigration crackdowns outside Florida that turned deadly and politically toxic. They pointed to January enforcement actions in Minneapolis where federal agents' tactics led to fatal shootings and triggered federal reviews, according to AP News. Those incidents have made some Florida chiefs wary of sweeping street-level roundups that can inflame communities and expose departments to both political blowback and operational risk.
What Comes Next
Judd said the council plans to push elected officials and federal agencies for clearer guidelines on who should be prioritized for removal and for serious consideration of conditional-stay ideas. He told reporters he intends to put those concerns in writing to national leaders, according to The Daily Beast. Whether Washington changes policy or Congress acts on immigration will determine whether the council's shift becomes more than a proposal on paper.
Until then, Florida officials are left walking a tightrope between a political appetite for aggressive removals and the hard limits of jail space, manpower and public tolerance. Local leaders, advocacy groups and legal organizations will be watching closely to see if this call for a more nuanced approach actually leads to fewer mass sweeps and a sharper focus on people accused of crimes.
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