TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — All law enforcement agencies in Florida will have to cooperate with federal immigration authorities under a bill signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The bill signed Friday allows DeSantis to remove local officials from office if they adopt "sanctuary" policies that protect undocumented immigrants from deportation.
The legislation would require law enforcement to honor U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainers for undocumented immigrants who are arrested or convicted of a crime, exempting crime victims and witnesses.
The Republican DeSantis is a close ally of President Donald Trump, who has made illegal immigration a top priority. The bill signing was held in Okaloosa County in the western Panhandle, one of the state's most conservative areas.
An overflow crowd attended the bill signing, cheering wildly when Trump was mentioned.