Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony might be faraway from workplace if he doesn’t clear up statements he made final week reflecting a perceived lack of dedication to serving to feds implement immigration legislation, Florida Legal professional Normal James Uthmeier warned Monday.
Uthmeier stated he despatched a two-page letter to Tony on Monday, demanding the Sheriff’s Workplace’s cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and threatening penalties as much as and together with elimination from workplace if Tony have been to fail to conform.
Uthmeier’s letter, which he posted to social media Monday morning, got here in response to statements he cited Tony made final week at a price range workshop for the Broward County Fee. At that June 3 assembly, Tony stated “immigration isn’t one among” the priorities his workplace is pursuing, Uthmeier famous Tony as saying. Arresting people who find themselves not within the nation legally is “not inside our purview, it’s not inside our accountability and I received’t take part in it,” Tony stated.
Uthmeier demanded a clarification. “I’d hope your statements have been mere political posturing, but when not, your expressed positions would represent a failure of your statutory obligation to make the most of ‘the most effective efforts to assist the enforcement of federal immigration legislation” beneath Florida statutes, he wrote.
Whereas Tony did make the feedback quoted by Uthmeier, he additionally stated he’s absolutely cooperating with state legislation and its partnerships with federal businesses. In context, he rejected a BSO position in conducting immigration raids however dedicated to coping with immigrants accused of committing crimes.
“I don’t care what nation you’re from; if you happen to commit a criminal offense on this county, I’m coming for you,” he stated on the June 3 assembly. “However what I refuse to do is take this notion that we have to be knocking on doorways or arresting kids or going into day care facilities or eating places and taking and snatching individuals off these streets who’ve been paying taxes and contributing to this society in some optimistic type no matter if they’re a U.S. citizen or not. It’s not inside our purview, it’s not inside our accountability and I received’t take part in it.”
Since Donald Trump returned to the presidency in January, Gov. Ron DeSantis has touted a number of agreements between the state and ICE, vowing to make use of state legislation enforcement sources to help within the enforcement of immigration legislation. In late February, DeSantis stated all of the state’s 67 sheriffs had signed an settlement with ICE, demonstrating their cooperation with the federal company.
The governor has floated the thought of suspending native officers from workplace in the event that they don’t comply with the legislation.
That menace got here within the final line of Uthmeier’s letter to Tony, by which he reminded the sheriff that his duties beneath the legislation weren’t elective.
“The legislation isn’t happy by coming into obligations you don’t have any intention of fulfilling,” he wrote. “Florida legislation unambiguously and deliberately requires extra. … Penalties for failure to stick to the obligations set forth [include] … being held in contempt or elimination from workplace by the governor.”
The Broward Sheriff’s Workplace has not issued a touch upon the Legal professional Normal’s letter as of early Monday afternoon.
Tony was appointed sheriff in early 2019 as one among Republican DeSantis’ first acts in workplace. He has since received election twice as a Democrat.
Rafael Olmeda may be reached at rolmeda@sunsentinel.com or 954-356-4457.