Law enforcement wants to do their job. Trump should let them.
Florida Sheriff Grady Judd is making a powerful call for greater cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities to protect communities from the threat posed by illegal immigrants, particularly those involved in criminal activities. Judd believes local agencies, like his own in Polk County, can be crucial allies to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in ensuring that dangerous individuals are removed from the country.
Judd emphasizes that the federal government must “remove the shackles” from local law enforcement agencies and allow them to work more closely with ICE to identify and apprehend illegal migrants who are committing crimes. He pointed out the vast number of individuals already under federal deportation orders—1.4 million—who could be targeted if only there were better infrastructure in place to detain them.
He also mentioned the critical issue of information sharing between local agencies and federal authorities. According to Judd, many individuals with active deportation orders are not listed in the National Crime Information Center, a key tool used by law enforcement to check individuals’ criminal backgrounds. Without this crucial information, officers are at a disadvantage, making it harder to identify criminals and prevent them from escaping detention.
Under the Biden administration, Judd claims that cooperation with ICE has significantly diminished. He gives the example of a migrant who had been arrested for assault but was later found committing a DUI while still in the country illegally. This case, along with others, highlights the consequences of not removing criminals as soon as possible. Judd states that his department is fully committed to supporting federal immigration enforcement, but they need better communication and resources from the federal government to do so effectively.
The sheriff also criticized the current policies for allowing illegal migrants to remain in the country, where they contribute to rising crime rates. He highlighted several troubling examples, such as Venezuelan criminals targeting legal Asian-American business owners in Polk County. Judd argues that with stronger federal enforcement, crime would decrease even further in his community, pointing to the state’s record-low crime rate as evidence that tough policies work.
Sheriff Judd’s message is clear: the federal government must take action to stop illegal immigration and the crime it brings, and local law enforcement stands ready to help. He urges swift federal action to ramp up efforts to combat this crisis, particularly with regard to the dangerous fentanyl epidemic that continues to plague the nation. With stronger cooperation between local and federal agencies, he believes America can begin to reclaim its safety and security.