Local law enforcement agencies in Florida express discontent over the methods employed by ICE in their recruitment of local officers, with some referring to it as 'bush league'.
In a move that has caused friction and tension with local law enforcement agencies in Florida, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has embarked on a recruitment strategy targeting officers who have been trained under the 287(g) program. This program formalizes cooperation between ICE and local agencies for immigration enforcement.
The recruitment efforts, which offer sign-on bonuses of up to $50,000 and appeal to federal service benefits, have been viewed as ironic and provocative by local sheriffs. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, for one, expressed his displeasure, stating that ICE is "biting the hand that's feeding you." Judd noted that the deputies who received the recruitment pitch from ICE were ICE-trained on Polk County's dime.
Sheriffs from Northwest Florida counties, including Escambia and Santa Rosa, have also criticized ICE for sending recruitment emails to their deputies. They see this as a breach of trust and detrimental to their partnerships with ICE. Orange County Sheriff John Mina was similarly disappointed about ICE's attempt to poach deputies from his agency.
However, not all local officials are unhappy with ICE's recruitment push. Congressman Jimmy Patronis from Florida emphasized the ongoing commitment to collaboration with federal agencies in immigration enforcement.
In addition to email recruitment, ICE has moved to remove age limits for applicants and launched a high-profile hiring campaign backed by significant funding. The aim is to expand ICE's workforce by thousands of agents. While these efforts are intended to bolster ICE's enforcement capacity, the aggressive recruitment tactics aimed at local law enforcement personnel risk straining vital cooperative relationships, particularly in regions like Florida where local sheriffs play key roles in joint immigration enforcement efforts.
The 287(g) program is not new, but ICE's aggressive recruitment tactics towards its partners who have already been trained and have valuable law enforcement experience is a departure from past practices. This strategy has generated frustration among local sheriffs who feel their deputies are being directly targeted for federal recruitment, potentially undermining trust and cooperation essential for immigration enforcement collaborations.
In summary, ICE's recruitment strategy involving email blasts to local law enforcement officers trained under 287(g) in Florida has negatively impacted local-federal partnerships by generating frustration among local sheriffs who feel their deputies are being directly targeted for federal recruitment, potentially undermining trust and cooperation essential for immigration enforcement collaborations.
Sources: [1] ABC News [2] The Tampa Bay Times [3] The Washington Post [4] The Miami Herald [5] The New York Times
Sports and politics seemingly intertwined as Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, during a sports event, conversed about the ongoing friction with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). He lamented that ICE's aggressive recruitment strategy towards his 287(g)-trained deputies resembles a team poaching players from a rival team, emphasizing the crucial need for trust and cooperation in both sports and politics.
