Broward Sheriff Tony backs down on immigration stance after Florida AG threatens his job

UPDATE: June 10 11:30 a.m. – Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier on X: “Thank you, Sheriff Tony, for reversing course and committing to work with the state and ICE to enforce our immigration laws. My office will continue monitoring localities across the state to ensure maximum enforcement.”

 By Dan Christensen, FloridaBulldog.org

Faced with what amounted to an ultimatum from Tallahassee that he assist ICE and enforce federal immigration law, Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony appeared to back down late Monday from his earlier public vow not to cooperate.

At a June 3 county commission budget workshop Tony was asked about immigration.

“We have other priorities in this community that I’m focused on, and immigration is not one of them,” said Tony, whose remarks were later broadcast by WPLG-Channel 10. “We’re busting as many guys as we can. But 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. It’s not within our purview, it’s not within our responsibility, and I won’t participate in it.”

Monday morning Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier fired off a letter to Tony asking him to clarify his “problematic remarks” and cautioned that if he did not Tony could face “removal from office by the Governor.” Uthmeier copied his letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis, who first appointed Tony in 2019 and has spoken highly of him publicly even as Tony faced ethics and professional standards investigations after a Florida Department of Law Enforcement report detailed how Tony had repeatedly lied and covered up a variety of matters, including his arrest for murder in Philadelphia when he was 14 – and his later drug use.

“I would hope your statements were mere political posturing,” Uthmeier wrote. “But if not, your expressed positions would constitute a failure of your statutory obligation to utilize best efforts to support the enforcement of federal immigration law.” Uthmeier cited newly enacted Florida Statute 908.104(1), which requires state officials to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.

TONY’S REPLY

In his Monday afternoon reply, Tony didn’t directly address whether he was grandstanding at last week’s workshop but said this:

“Let me reassure you that, as Sheriff of Broward County, I fully appreciate and understand my responsibilities under Florida law as they pertain to immigration enforcement,” he wrote in a reply letter to Uthmeier. “It is BSO’s priority to address criminal activity within our community, including crimes committed by unauthorized aliens, and to work with our federal partners.”

Tony went on to acknowledge that BSO has standing cooperation agreements with ICE, or U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, including a February “287(g) Task Force Model authorizing trained and credentialed deputies “to assist ICE with federal immigration enforcement upon request. BSO has been complying, and will continue to comply, with our obligations under these agreements.”

“BSO is not only enforcing the law against unauthorized aliens who commit crimes in the community, it is also a leader in this effort,” Tony wrote. “Just over two months ago, I hosted a press conference with the U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to announce the arrest of nine MS 13 gang members responsible for multiple murders in Broward County. BSO initiated this investigation, working in partnership” with the FBI and other federal agencies. He also told Uthmeier how, five years ago, BSO “reopened a closed homicide investigation and a Brazilian foreign national as the prime suspect in a series of homicides in Broward County in the early 2000s.”

“These are just a few examples cited to reassure you of BSO’s continuing commitment to work with our federal partners to address criminal activity by unauthorized aliens in our community,” Tony wrote. “As a law enforcement agency, BSO will continue to comply with Florida law regarding immigration enforcement.

“Again, thank you for the opportunity to clarify my remarks. I trust that this response gives you a better perspective and understanding of my commitment to complying with Florida laws and combatting crime within our community,” he wrote. Tony sent a copy to Gov. DeSantis.