Ron DeSantis's grip on power is slipping as he faces his final months as Florida governor, and now his own law enforcement allies are openly rebelling against his aggressive immigration enforcement machine.
According to the New York Times, Florida sheriffs and police chiefs — once reliable partners in DeSantis's immigration crusade — are becoming increasingly vocal critics of the embattled governor, whose national political career has been overshadowed by Donald Trump.
A year ago, DeSantis pledged to make Florida the nation's toughest state on immigration enforcement. He largely succeeded: Florida recorded more immigration arrests last year than any state except Texas. But the enforcement apparatus he hastily constructed to support Trump's federal crackdown is now visibly cracking under the strain.
Overcrowded jails, mounting costs, and growing concerns about aggressive tactics have prompted even Republican law enforcement officials to question the operation's scope — especially in an election year.
At a recent meeting of the State Immigration Enforcement Council, Republican sheriffs expressed serious concerns about unauthorized immigrants with no criminal records being detained and deported.
"There are those here that are working hard," said Sheriff Grady Judd of Polk County, the council's chairman. "They have kids in college or in school. They're going to church on Sunday. They're not violating the law, and they're living the American dream."
The remarks signaled a significant shift among a small but influential group of Florida Republicans responsible for executing Trump and DeSantis's immigration policies.
"It's too wide a net," said Chief Ciro M. Dominguez of the Naples Police Department during the March 16 meeting. "And we're hurting people who are not the target of this."
The rebellion extends beyond local law enforcement. House Republicans acknowledged at a Doral meeting this month that the immigration crackdown has alienated voters. Party officials have urged lawmakers to avoid discussing "mass deportations" ahead of the midterms. Even newly confirmed Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin committed to working with senators from both parties to address concerns about Trump's immigration policies.
When sheriffs suggested Congress provide non-criminal unauthorized immigrants a path to legalization, DeSantis immediately rejected the idea.
The cost crisis is equally damning. Republican state lawmakers are pushing back against DeSantis's immigration enforcement budget. This month, they renewed an emergency fund for the Everglades detention center — but only after imposing strict oversight requirements, including mandatory legislative reports on spending.
According to the Florida Tributary, DeSantis's administration is spending more than $1 million per day to operate the facility, known as "Alligator Alcatraz."
When Florida opened the center last summer, DeSantis promised federal reimbursement for operating costs. But the state is still waiting for the $608 million it requested. The money has been stuck in bureaucratic limbo — first held up by environmental reviews, then by the partial Department of Homeland Security shutdown.