Jacksonville is one step closer to becoming the first city in the country to align with President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda, by adopting one of the strongest local immigration enforcement policies in the U.S. 

Tuesday night, Jacksonville city council members voted in favor of the bill that will allow JSO to identify immigrants without permanent legal status who enter or re-enter the city and penalize them. The bill still has to be signed by the mayor, who could veto it. 

“Jacksonville is setting the standard for cities across America. We are taking decisive action to ensure our community is safe and we are fully supporting federal and state authorities in enforcing immigration laws,” City Council Vice President Kevin Carrico, who introduced this legislation, said. “This policy demonstrates our commitment to upholding the rule of law and protecting the interests of our citizens.”  

Some Jacksonville residents supported this bill, while others called it “unconstitutional.”

“If they want more machines, let them use the money we already gave them,” said one resident.

Another resident supporting the bill said, “Jacksonville is not a sanctuary city.” 

“Come here legally like me,” said one woman. 

The bill would give more than $76,000 to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office for 25 additional mobile fingerprinting devices.

“It will make our city less safe while wasting our taxpayer dollars,” said one resident. 

“Is it gonna be based on the way they look? Is it gonna be based on the way they speak?” asked Monica Martinez.

Martinez, a first-generation immigrant, told council members she believes this legislation is unconstitutional and promotes racial profiling. 

“I also think about people like my family members who have legal status and their appearance give off they’re foreigners,” she told First Coast News. “I’m scared they could be a target. I’m scared I could be targeted because of the way I look.”

With Florida governor Ron DeSantis signing off on $250 million of state money for local law enforcement to enforce federal immigration laws, many in attendance felt this bill is redundant to state and federal law

“ICE was created at the federal level; anything that has to do with immigrants should not be handled on the local level,” she said. 

This bill would also mandate jail time for people who enter the city undocumented. Local law enforcement would also have to inform ICE and FDLE of these arrests.

Mayor Donna Deegan still needs to sign this bill to make it law.

When asked about this bill Tuesday at a press conference, Deegan also said it seemed redundant to federal and state law.

Deegan went on to say if the sheriff’s office needs fingerprint machines, they’ll make sure they get those, but she questioned why state money couldn’t be used if it was avaialble. 

“I encourage Mayor Donna Deegan to swiftly sign this important bill into law. The people of Jacksonville deserve nothing less,” Carrico said.