JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The City Council approved the Jacksonville Illegal Immigration Enforcement Act at the Tuesday night meeting.
The legislation, spearheaded by Council Vice President Kevin Carrico, would give the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office the resources to help identify individuals in the country illegally.
The bill currently provides funding for 25 additional fingerprint scanners and would also require local law enforcement to notify ICE and FDLE if an arrest is made.
The bill passed with a 12 to 5 vote.
Carrico said the bill is intended to decrease crime, but some community members spoke against that claim.
Several members emphasized that illegal immigrants make up a small amount of the crime statistics listed in the bill. Opposors of the bill argued that the money could be used in better places.
“They already have a substantial budget… let them cover the expense," one person said during public comment.
Protestors were also outside city hall with signs that read, “Stop mass deportation.”
However, supporters of the bill said it would encourage people to go through the legal immigration process. That didn’t stop them from questioning where the money would come from, though.
The bill faced several battles as members tried to tweak its terms.
The bill will head to the mayor’s desk, where she will either sign or veto it.
If she signs the bill, it will immediately go into effect.
Carrico released the following statement:
“Jacksonville is setting the standard for cities across America. We are taking decisive action to ensure our community is safe and we are fully supporting federal and state authorities in enforcing immigration laws. This policy demonstrates our commitment to upholding the rule of law and protecting the interests of our citizens.”