DeSantis Rebukes Sheriffs Over Immigration, Leaving Treasure Coast Chiefs to Choose Sides

A public rift between Gov. Ron DeSantis and a growing faction of Florida sheriffs over immigration enforcement has put law enforcement officials statewide on notice — and may soon force Treasure Coast sheriffs to declare where they stand.

DeSantis signed a new immigration bill in Jacksonville this week and then, at a separate event in Bradenton, unloaded on sheriffs who had suggested federal immigration efforts should focus on criminals rather than all undocumented immigrants.

"This idea that unless you're an axe murderer you should be able to stay, that is not consistent with our laws, and it's also not good policy," DeSantis said.

The governor's target was Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, chairman of the State Immigration Enforcement Council, who broke ranks at a recent council meeting by suggesting federal enforcement should prioritize criminals over mass deportations. Judd — long a DeSantis ally and one of Florida's most aggressive immigration enforcers — said he intended to send a letter to Congress and the Trump administration asking for a pathway to legal status for non-criminal undocumented immigrants who pay a fine and learn English.

"We have allowed what I call the criminal troublemaker to just flood in this country and victimize people," Judd said at the meeting, according to News Service Florida. "And I think a path for the good folks with a good intent, for the right reason, is reasonable."

Judd was backed at the meeting by Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell and Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri. Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters and Attorney General James Uthmeier pushed back the following day, reaffirming support for deportation efforts targeting all undocumented immigrants.

The divide is significant. DeSantis declared a state of emergency over illegal immigration in 2023 and has extended it more than 20 times since, vowing to keep doing so until every undocumented immigrant is out of Florida According to available information,.

The critical local question is where the sheriffs of Martin, St. Lucie, and Indian River counties stand. None of the three have publicly aligned with either camp as of press time. The TC Sentinel has reached out to all three offices for comment According to available information,.

The stakes are concrete. Sheriff's offices in Florida are the front-line agencies cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement under 287(g) agreements and related task forces. How aggressively a local sheriff interprets his enforcement mandate — whether he sweeps broadly or focuses on criminal offenders — directly shapes how immigration policy plays out in our communities.

Judd's break from DeSantis is particularly striking given his reputation. News Service Florida noted he is "a no-nonsense, crack-the-whip sheriff who's often been praised by Gov. Ron DeSantis." That such a figure is now publicly calling for a measured approach — and absorbing a gubernatorial rebuke for it — signals that the consensus inside Florida law enforcement is fracturing in ways that could outlast the current political moment.

Notably, Judd has also endorsed U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds for governor to replace the term-limited DeSantis, adding a layer of electoral politics to the public disagreement.

WHAT TO DO: Residents with questions about local immigration enforcement policies can contact their county sheriff's office directly. Martin County Sheriff's Office: (772) 220-7000. St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office: (772) 461-7400. Indian River County Sheriff's Office: (772) 978-6240. For immigration legal resources, contact Florida Legal Services at (850) 385-7900.

This article was generated with AI assistance using publicly available information. It was reviewed and approved by a human editor before publication. TC Sentinel uses AI writing tools in accordance with FTC guidelines.