Broward County Sheriff (BSO) Gregory Tony is making it clear once again: his office is not in the business of immigration enforcement.
“We have other priorities in this community that we’re focused on and immigration is not one of them, not to dismiss the importance of that,” said Tony at a county budget hearing earlier this week. “I don’t care what country you’re from. If you commit a crime in this country, or commit a crime in this county, I’m coming for you.”
Tony’s remarks came in response to a question from a county commissioner about immigration, and follow a string of high-profile immigration raids across the U.S. that have seen undocumented immigrants detained by ICE.
His stance contrasts sharply with policies pushed by the Trump administration, which reinstated the 287-G program to allow more aggressive local immigration enforcement. It also puts him at odds with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who earlier this year signed a controversial immigration crackdown bill—part of which is now being challenged in court.
“What I refuse to do is take this notion that we need to be knocking on doors or arresting children or going into daycare centers or restaurants and taking and snatching people off these streets,” the BSO sheriff said. “It’s not within our purview and it’s not within our responsibility, and I won’t participate in it.”
Tony has been consistent in this position. Back in February, he said: “I didn’t sign up to be ICE. My patch doesn’t say ICE. My patch is Broward County,” during a press conference at the Broward Sheriff’s Office headquarters.
Nearby, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw has echoed similar views. Asked whether his department takes part in immigration sweeps, Bradshaw told the Sun Sentinel, “There’s no organized sweeps with us going on as far as just people that are here illegally.”
He emphasized that the focus remains on those who commit other crimes beyond illegal entry. “You don’t need to be afraid. If you’re not a bad guy, you haven’t committed a crime or you’re not one of the people that’s here illegally that’s a convicted murderer, there’s no problem,” Bradshaw said.
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