FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony said Thursday fighting crime is his number one mission in the county, not hunting down immigrants who may be in the country illegally.
“We have other priorities in this community that we’re focused on and immigration is not one of them, not to dismiss the importance of that,” said Tony. ”I don’t care what country you’re from. If you commit a crime in this country, or commit a crime in this county, I’m coming for you.”
6 p.m. report:
The comments were made at a county budget hearing earlier this week, prompted by a question on immigration from a county commissioner.
It’s all stemming from scenes that have played out across the country in recent months, surprise raids landing undocumented immigrants in the custody of ICE.
The sheriff’s position differs from the Trump administration, which reinstated the federal 287-G program that allows aggressive immigration enforcement.
It also differs from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ position. He signed an immigration crackdown bill earlier this year, part of which is now tangled up in the courts.
“What I refuse to do is take this notion that we need to be knocking on doors or arresting children or going into daycare centers or restaurants and taking and snatching people off these streets,” said Tony. “It’s not within our purview and it’s not within our responsibility, and I won’t participate in it.”