The State Immigration Enforcement Council, led by Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, recently signaled a significant shift in stance. During a meeting on March 16, 2026, the council—composed of several Florida sheriffs and police chiefs—discussed drafting a letter to federal leaders, including President Trump and Congressional leadership.
The Sheriffs’ Stance
Sheriff Judd and other council members have expressed concern that current federal enforcement is “casting too wide a net.” Their primary arguments include:
- Prioritizing Criminals: They are pushing to focus limited resources on “criminal troublemakers” rather than undocumented immigrants who have no criminal records and are “adding to the American dream.”
- Alternative Accountability: Judd suggested that for non-criminal undocumented immigrants, a “path forward” should be established involving civil fines, English language requirements, and economic self-sufficiency.
- Resource Allocation: Sheriffs emphasized that law enforcement’s primary job is public safety, and they are concerned about the “collateral” impact when ICE operations sweep up healthy, working individuals without criminal histories.
The State’s Rejection
Governor Ron DeSantis and top administration officials have firmly rejected this proposed “course correction.” On March 19, 2026, the Governor pushed back against the council’s plan, arguing:
- Incoherence of Policy: DeSantis stated that allowing undocumented migrants to stay until they commit a violent crime is “incoherent” and inconsistent with his administration’s hardline stance.
- Duty to Enforce: Attorney General James Uthmeier (who recently transitioned into a leading legal role for the state) and other spokespeople for the Attorney General’s office have doubled down, stating that if people are in the country illegally, they are breaking the law, and Florida will continue to enforce it regardless of non-criminal status.
Context in Lakeland and Polk County
This debate is particularly relevant in the Polk County area, as Sheriff Judd has long been a staunch ally of the Governor’s immigration policies. His recent comments represent a rare public break on the implementation of these “mass deportation” efforts. While Judd maintains he is not “anti-Trump” or “anti-DeSantis,” he is calling on Congress to “get off their butts” and fix the legal framework so that local law enforcement isn’t stuck in the middle of these enforcement dilemmas.