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The Florida Sheriff’s Association plans to bring back a controversial program that faced criticism for racial profiling. The group announced it at a meeting in Polk County Monday detailing how they plan to crack down on undocumented immigrants in the state.
President of the Florida Sheriff’s Association Bill Prummel announced they are reinstating a street task force program. It gives state and local law enforcement more power under ICE to deport undocumented immigrants.
Pinellas Sheriff Bob Gualtieri emphasized that these programs are specifically to crack down on undocumented immigrants who have committed crimes.
“There’s a number of ways that sheriff’s and local law enforcement agencies can help ICE- and we should help ICE, because ICE does not have the resources to do it alone,” Gualtieri said.
President Donald Trump restored the controversial program in an executive order last month.
It ended 13 years ago after a federal investigation found racism against Latinos in Arizona.
But when asked about the fear of racial profiling here in Florida, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd completely dismissed it.
“We’re tired of hearing that crap. It’s BS. It’s total BS. It’s woke left crazy talk,” Judd said.
But Florida Immigrant Coalition’s Thomas Kennedy argues that illegal racial profiling is a very real possibility.
“It’s not going to be woke-left crazy talk when there are dozens of lawsuits against police departments like his because these officers are engaging in racial profiling,” Kennedy told WMNF.
Kennedy said the plans erode the trust of the community and make undocumented victims more hesitant to seek help in potentially violent situations.
“It’s bureaucratic, it’s burdensome for police departments, for police officers, and it erodes the trust between local communities and law enforcement officials,” Kennedy said.
The first name of Sheriff Gualtieri has been corrected in this version of the story
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