TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis is shutting down the idea that not every undocumented immigrant should be deported.

The suggestion came earlier this week from a board of law enforcement officials appointed by the governor and his cabinet.

One of those members is the longtime, staunch-conservative sheriff of Polk County, Grady Judd, who argued that Congress needs to reform immigration policies.

On Thursday morning, the governor weighed in.

“This idea that unless you’re an axe murderer, you should be able to stay, that is not consistent with our laws. And it’s also not good policy,” DeSantis said.

The governor’s comments supporting strict immigration enforcement policies in the Sunshine State come days after Judd suggested some undocumented immigrants should not face charges or be deported.

“Some of them came in here inappropriately only to do better for themselves and their family and they are not law violators,” Judd said. “There needs to be a path forward for those who are in this country; they came here illegally, they violated the federal — but it’s a civil violation.”

“Some of them came in here inappropriately only to do better for themselves and their family and they are not law violators,” Judd said. “There needs to be a path forward for those who are in this country; they came here illegally, they violated the federal — but it’s a civil violation.”

DeSantis strongly defended the state’s efforts to assist with a federal immigration crackdown.

“We have different people that are victimized by illegal aliens every day in this country,” DeSantis said. ”Not all of them have criminal records at the time. In fact, probably most of them don’t. But under some view, it’s like, ‘OK, yeah, you come illegally and then you stay until you commit a really violent crime.’ That just doesn’t work.”

Judd chairs the State Immigration Enforcement Council and said it is the council’s job to “tell it like it is.”

“It seems like it is appropriate for us as a council to make recommendations how we can be more laser focused on those that help in this country,” Judd said.

The committee discussed writing a letter to the president and Congress, but on Thursday, DeSantis cautioned against that move.

“It’s not what the president ran on,” DeSantis said. ”And so to send a letter to him asking him to go back on his campaign policies, I would not advise that to be done.”

Judd made it clear that he continues to enforce the law and maintains his support for the Trump administration.

“Any illusion that we are not supporting the president is absolutely false,” Judd said. ”We are providing input, we are providing feedback.”

DeSantis also touted Florida’s efforts as an example for other states during the press conference.

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