The Florida State Board of Immigration Enforcement held its first meeting Monday afternoon in Niceville. The board was created last week as part of the Trump Act, which was passed by legislators and signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis.
DeSantis is a member of the board, along with Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, and Florida’s new Attorney General James Uthmeier.
Each board member has an equal vote. Their main goal is to enforce new immigration policies and stricter penalties under the new law.
A key focus is on strengthening cooperation between local law enforcement and federal authorities like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
“The main thing our sheriffs need is adequate training for their deputies. Not everyone has this. We’re definitely creating more of a focus on controlling the immigration problem, and we’re going to get the proper training not just for our law enforcement officers but also those that are running our jails. Those jails have the same type of ICE training,” Patronis said.
During the meeting, the board appointed members to a new advisory council. Former U.S. Attorney Larry Keefe was named executive director of the Florida State Board of Immigration Enforcement.
Keefe previously prosecuted the Lynn Haven corruption case before leaving office. As DeSantis’ public safety “Czar,” he was responsible for Florida’s controversial migrant relocation program, where migrants were flown from Texas to sanctuary cities like Martha’s Vineyard and San Francisco.
The advisory council will also include sheriffs from Pinellas, Polk, Jacksonville, and Charlotte counties.
The board plans to continue working on strengthening enforcement and ensuring that local authorities have the necessary tools and training to implement the new law effectively.
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