Florida Republicans fight among themselves over immigration--cops versus politicians

Sheriffs and top cops say arresting hard-working immigrants makes no sense

Florida is widely regarded as the most aggressive state in its roundup of undocumented immigrants. So much so that we have now spent more than a billion dollars to construct and run Alligator Alcatraz, our very own concentration camp in the Everglades. But a committee of cops, appointed by G.O.P. leaders, is pushing back. Arresting hard-working immigrants who are helping our communities is stupid, they say. Now everyone’s fighting about it. Here’s the latest on this controversy.

By Liv Caputo

Florida Phoenix

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, a top Republican and favorite of Gov. Ron DeSantis, doubled down this week by again calling for an end to deportations of undocumented immigrants who “add to society.”

“Those people who are adding to the American dream, enjoying the American dream, that came here illegally but they’re doing good, and they’re not a drag on society — in fact they’re helping society — we need to find a path for them,” Judd said Tuesday during a press conference.

“The reason for that is simple: You’re doing what’s right.”

(Editor’s Note: Immigrants also comprise a substantial percentage of Florida’s crucial workforce. See the note following this article.)

He spoke to reporters a day after he and six other law enforcement officers on the Florida Immigration Enforcement Council publicly mulled drafting a letter to President Donald Trump, the U.S. House Speaker, and the Senate majority leader to urge reserving deportation to violent criminals.

Following the meeting, Judd said other sheriffs around the state called him to say, “That’s exactly the common sense we want.” He added that every law enforcement officer on the council — minus Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters, who was absent and repudiates his colleagues. position — agreed that a “path forward” needs to be carved out.

DeSantis created the council last year to advise on Florida’s undocumented immigration policies. It comprises four sheriffs and four police chiefs appointed by top state GOP leaders.

This conversation among the Republican officers marked a striking shift in Florida’s hardline anti-immigration policies. It also directly contradicted the DeSantis administration’s long-held insistence on deporting all undocumented migrants and Trump’s initial mass deportation platform.

Attorney General James Uthmeier just hours earlier said that everyone illegally in the country needs to be deported because: “If people are here illegally, then they are breaking the law.”

But Judd’s words came amid a Republican reckoning on immigration.

Last week, the White House privately told Republicans to stop talking about mass deportations and instead focus on violent unauthorized migrants. A Politico poll found that 49 percent of Americans found Trump’s mass deportations to be “too aggressive.” The poll came the same month that ICE and Border Patrol agents shot and killed two protesters in Minnesota.

Judd doesn’t see his stance as oppositional to either the governor or the Trump administration, he said Tuesday, and finds it “offensive” to suggest otherwise. He added that it’s up to Congress to address the conflict.

“Quite frankly, Congress gets an F minus, if you can get worse than an F, in dealing with this issue.”

But undocumented immigrants who crossed into the country shouldn’t immediately be adopted into society, Judd said. Instead, they should be civilly fined, forced to learn English, and expected to engage economically and socially in their new communities.

He brought up the “wide open” border under President Joe Biden, and posed a question: If an immigrant was making $1 dollar an hour to roof houses in Mexico, but could make $20 after crossing the border into the United States, wouldn’t they try it?

“And then I go, well, where do I apply [to cross legally]? It’s about a 10-year wait,” Judd said. “Now am I gonna wait 10 years, or am I gonna walk across that open border?”

“It’s a violation of law, they need to be held accountable, it’s not appropriate, but why is it a 10-year wait?”

Liv Caputo, the reporter on this story, covers immigration for the Florida Phoenix. She’s had her work cited in the New York Times, the Miami Herald, and the New York Post. She worked previously at The Floridian Press and The Florida Standard. A Florida native, she graduated from Florida State University.

Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization. This story is republished with their permission. To support Florida Phoenix, click here:

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Editor’s Note: It’s not just cops pushing back

Florida businesses, especially in the homebuilding, agriculture, and hospitality industries, are reeling from labor shortages as a direct result of the state’s aggressive roundup of undocumented immigrants.

So, when you see law enforcement leaders pushing back, you know they are getting pressure from business leaders.

Here are some numbers to consider:

In Florida, there are an estimated 782,000 undocumented workers currently employed as of early 2026. This workforce represents approximately 6.7 percent to 11 percent of the state’s total labor force, according to a study from Florida State University.

Key Employment Statistics (2026 Estimates)

The following breakdown details the employment status of Florida’s unauthorized population:

• Total Working-Age Population (16+): 1,132,000

• Employed: 782,000 (69 percent employment rate)

• Unemployed (Seeking work): 43,000

• Not in Labor Force: 307,000

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Onward thru the fog

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed if you are a rational person living in the Free State of Florida, but there are plenty of smart, reasonable people just like you here. The purpose of this newsletter and the Tropic Press website is to provide a source of news and commentary that shines a light through this irrational fog. That includes both original reporting and shared stories such as this one today.

Thank you for your support as a subscriber. It is invaluable. This is especially so for those of you who have chosen to upgrade to paid subscriptions. Your contributions are making this possible.

J.C. Bruce

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Time to take back our state

The upcoming midterm elections provide a generational opportunity to change the complexion of Florida’s political makeup. But for that to happen, Republican incumbents in the Legislature must face Democrats on the ballot. Currently, there are far too many seats where Republicans stand to run unopposed. Here’s how we can fix that: