Florida’s Attorney General, James Uthmeier, sent a two-page letter to Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony, demanding the sheriff’s full cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The letter came in response to comments made by Tony during a June 3 budget workshop meeting that were perceived as indicating a reluctance to fully engage in immigration enforcement.
During the meeting, when asked about his role in enforcing immigration law, Tony stated, “The patch on our sleeve says Broward County. We are not ICE, we are not immigration. I don’t work for the Department of Justice. I don’t work for the Department of Justice. I don’t work for the president of the United States. I work for the people of this community.”
Attorney General Uthmeier specifically noted these comments and others made by Tony in his two-page letter. His letter partly stated: “You stated that the Broward County Sheriff’s Office has ‘other priorities in this community’ and that ‘immigration is not one of them…a state or local law enforcement agency ‘shall use best efforts to support the enforcement of federal immigration law’ when acting within the scope of his or her employment,” directly citing § 908.1041, Florida Statutes. Uthmeier also referenced the case of Carlos Jose Abreau, “a 45-year-old illegal alien from the Dominican Republic who pleaded guilty to voter fraud and gun charges,” as an example of why such enforcement is critical.
Broward County is home to a large number of immigrants from the Caribbean and Latin America.
Uthmeier further requested that Tony “clarify your remarks to affirm that your policy and intention is to fulfill your obligations.”
The Attorney General also released a video on social media addressing the matter, asserting, “Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony is on the record saying that arresting illegal aliens is not within his office’s purview and he won’t participate.” He warned that failure to uphold immigration law could jeopardize Tony’s position, stating, “The choice is simple and participation is not optional. State, county and local officials can support and defend the United States and Florida constitutions and the laws therein or we will find someone who will.”
During the June 3 meeting, Sheriff Tony made it clear that BSO’s number one priority was to get rid of crime in the communities his agency serves. “I don’t care what country you’re from, if you commit a crime in this county, I’m coming for you. But 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, snatching people off these streets who have been paying taxes and contributing to this society in some positive form, regardless if they’re a U.S. citizen or not. It’s not our responsibility and I won’t participate in it,” Tony said during the meeting.
According to the Broward Sheriff’s Office, Tony later sent a reply to Uthmeier’s letter on Monday afternoon. In his response, Tony wrote in part: “Let me reassure you that, as Sheriff of Broward County, I fully appreciate and understand my responsibilities under Florida law as they pertain to immigration enforcement. … As a law enforcement agency, BSO will continue to comply with Florida law regarding immigration enforcement. … It is BSO’s priority to address criminal activity within our community, including crimes committed by unauthorized aliens, and work with our federal partners in this endeavor.”
Tony also listed three agreements that the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) has with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, including the most recent 287(g) task force involving trained deputies. In February, Governor Ron DeSantis had touted that all 67 of the state’s sheriffs, including the Broward Sheriff’s Office, had signed a ‘Task Force Model’ agreement with ICE that grants deputies some immigration authority under the 287(g) program. “BSO has been complying, and will continue to comply, with our obligations under these agreements,” Tony stated in his letter.
However, in the June 3 meeting, Tony said that while BSO is in compliance with state law and the 287(g) agreement, other Florida sheriffs have “increased the availability of manpower to execute some of these responsibilities that fall under immigration,” a practice BSO has not adopted.
Both Tony and Uthmeier cited specific cases to support their positions. Tony referred to the recent arrests of nine MS-13 gang members. Uthmeier mentioned the case of Carlos Jose Abreau, a native of the Dominican Republic, who pleaded guilty to voter fraud and gun charges after living under a stolen identity for nearly two decades.
