‘Jacksonville is not a sanctuary city’: Bill on illegal immigration enforcement heading to full council vote

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A proposed Jacksonville Illegal Immigration Enforcement Act is now on its way to a full vote by the Jacksonville City Council.

The legislation, spearheaded by Council Vice President Kevin Carrico, has cleared its final committee hurdle, moving it closer to becoming law.

Carrico recently introduced an amendment to the bill that requires all city agencies and departments to cooperate with the enforcement of immigration laws.

The bill has faced mixed reactions as it moved through the Neighborhoods, Rules and Finance Committees this week.

Council member Michael Boylan described the bill as “fear mongering” and questioned the necessity given existing federal and state policies.

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Council member Rahman Johnson agreed, adding: “[JSO] already has a process in place.”

Supporters of the bill argued that it would equip the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office with the resources to help identify individuals in the country illegally. The bill lists crime statistics by those in the area illegally. Carrico said this bill would address that.

“It really just gives officers more tools in the toolbox to help,” Carrico said.

The bill currently provides funding for additional fingerprint scanners and would also require local law enforcement to notify ICE and FDLE if an arrest is made.

“Basically uses some of the verbiage in the state law to adopt here in Jacksonville,” Carrico said. “What it does is make the statement that Jacksonville is not a sanctuary city.”

Some critics argue that the fingerprint scanners would be easy to get behind if it stood alone but said that the measure duplicates efforts already managed by state and federal authorities.

‘“This is out of our purview,” Boylan said. “We have no cause to do this.”

Gov. Ron DeSantis recently weighed in on a similar topic, referencing recent actions by the City of Ft. Myers, which voted against a partnership between police and ICE. DeSantis reinforced the state’s stance on immigration enforcement adding, “Govern yourselves accordingly.”

If the bill is approved by the full council in next Tuesday’s meeting, it will head to the mayor’s desk for final approval.