WATCH: Brevard Sheriff Wayne Ivey and Gov. Ron DeSantis Criticize Florida Immigration Bill

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WATCH: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was in Titusville with Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey on Wednesday for a press conference regarding illegal immigration enforcement.

Gov. Ron DeSantis Criticizes Florida Immigration Bill, Vows to Veto

BREVARD COUNTY • TITUSVILLE, FLORIDA – Florida Governor Ron DeSantis strongly criticized the newly passed immigration reform bill during a press conference with Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey in Titusville on Wednesday.

Sheriff Ivey and Gov. DeSantis were joined by Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Director Dave Kerner and Nikki Jones, whose husband was killed in a car accident involving an undocumented immigrant.

Sheriff Ivey voiced strong support for DeSantis’ stance, asserting that Florida’s law enforcement agencies were ready to act once the right legislation was in place.

Kerner also criticized the bill, stating that requiring coordination through the Department of Agriculture would disrupt existing law enforcement relationships and hinder effective immigration enforcement.

Addressing supporters and the media, DeSantis said that the legislation would weaken the state’s ability to enforce immigration laws and pledged to veto the bill upon its arrival at his desk.

The governor expressed concerns that the bill would hinder law enforcement agencies from effectively carrying out deportations.

He accused lawmakers of deliberately drafting a weak policy to protect access to undocumented labor, arguing that the legislation was less stringent than current immigration enforcement measures.

“We have a charge to keep. That is to end the illegal immigration crisis once and for all,” said DeSantis. “This bill is weaker than what we have today.”

One of DeSantis’ primary objections centered on the bill’s mandate that immigration enforcement efforts be coordinated through the Department of Agriculture. He said that this move created a conflict of interest, as the agriculture commissioner represents industries that have historically opposed stricter immigration enforcement.

DeSantis likened the measure to having “the fox guarding the henhouse,” contending that a bureaucracy ill-equipped to handle immigration enforcement should not be responsible for overseeing deportation operations.

Instead, he advocated for state and local law enforcement agencies to be deputized to conduct immigration enforcement directly rather than relying on federal authorities.

“This bill frustrates those relationships,” Kerner said. “To put that roadblock in our way will have a devastating effect.”

The Florida Legislature named the bill the “Tackling and Reforming Unlawful Migration Policy,” or the TRUMP Act.

DeSantis accused Republican lawmakers of undermining Trump’s immigration agenda, warning that the legislation could effectively turn Florida into a “de facto sanctuary state.”

“If you’re really serious about immigration enforcement, you’d want to empower us to do the job,” DeSantis reiterated. “That’s how you fulfill the mandate.”

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