Polk County, Florida, Sheriff Grady Judd is asking federal authorities to remove the “shackles” on local law enforcement agencies so they can work together more effectively to arrest and remove illegal criminal aliens.
Judd highlighted the need for more support at the federal level to support the swift detention and deportation of criminals who have illegally entered the country, Fox News reported. He stressed that while local law enforcement is ready to take action against illegal immigration, effective cooperation hinges on the federal government providing resources for housing and processing of detained illegal aliens.
“There’s got to be an infrastructure at the federal level to house these folks because we can scoop them up in large quantities because they’re here illegally committing crime and or they already have. There’s 1.4 million with a federal warrant or a removal order. If we can identify them, put them in the computer, we can go pick them up,” Judd said.
Polk County, located between Orlando and Tampa, has been working closely with ICE since 2019 to lower crime levels. However, Judd said he saw a sharp decline in deportation efforts under the Biden administration, which he claims has led to a surge in criminal activity committed by illegal aliens in his jurisdiction.
In addition to calling for more federal help, Judd pointed out what he sees as a dangerous gap in communication between local law enforcement and federal officials. He said that illegal aliens with active deportation orders are not listed in the National Crime Information Center, a database used by law enforcement to check individuals’ criminal histories.
This information gap complicates efforts to track and detain those who may be in the country illegally.
One of the sheriff’s most pressing concerns is how criminal illegal aliens continue to re-offend due to a lack of federal action. He pointed to a recent case in which his officers arrested a migrant for assault, only to find that ICE had released the person after a prior arrest.
Judd also cited a string of burglaries allegedly committed by a group of illegal Venezuelan migrants targeting Asian-American-owned businesses, as well as fatal traffic accidents caused by undocumented drivers with no licenses.
Judd praised the efforts of local leaders, including Gov. Ron DeSantis, for working on legislation to boost cooperation between state and federal authorities in fighting illegal immigration. Still, he emphasized the need for stricter federal enforcement on illegal aliens committing crimes across Florida.
“You can’t just flip the switch on and off. You’ve got to put infrastructure together. But we will be an ally at an even greater level than we already have been. We’ll load up ICE with illegal immigrant criminals,” the sheriff explained.
“Our crime rate would be even lower if it weren’t for the Biden administration allowing all the criminals here. Our victimization would be lower,” he added.