JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan voices her position after city council members passed a new immigration bill. This new bill is aimed at allowing the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office to identify immigrants without permanent legal status.

Deegan can either sign this bill, do nothing with it and it will become law, or veto the bill completely. 

The new bill will give more than $76,000 to JSO for 25 additional mobile fingerprinting devices. Officers would use these devices in the field to check the immigration status of someone suspected of committing a crime.

First-time offenders could spend up to 30 days in jail. Repeat offenders could get up to 60 days. 

In a statement, Mayor Deegan said she was reviewing the ordinance, and she remains concerned about redundancy with existing laws, as she stated before. She also voiced concerns about legal repercussions, saying in part: “My team is working with the Office of General Counsel to review potential unintended consequences, including the risk that the City of Jacksonville could face a lawsuit that requires taxpayer dollars to defend. This is not hypothetical. A case involving the State of Texas is currently moving through the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.”

She said this is not a decision she will rush. However, if JSO needs fingerprint scanners, Deegan says she will provide them.

Her full statement can be found below.**

First Coast News spoke to council members on both sides to get reactions to the mayor’s statement. 

“The governor thinks it’s a good idea, the council passed it by an overwhelming majority 12-to-5 last night,” said City Council Vice President Kevin Carrico who introduced this bill. “We believe it’s a good law. The sheriff has supported it and the FOP supported it. It’s time for the mayor to be a leader and sign the bill.”

“I’m a little disappointed that the statement comes out and it’s really not definitive. I think the mayor knows what she wants to do she just needs to come out and say it,” Carrico said.

“No one wants to see unauthorized aliens who are criminals by intent, coming into this country and certainly support that effort, but I think this bill to me is duplicative and unnecessary and in many respects hurtful,” said Council Member Michael Boylan, who does not endorse the bill. 

Council members Dr. Rahman Johnson and Michael Boylan are also concerned about legal action being taken.

“A lawsuit that we didn’t have to get involved in is one way we are creating more government and spending taxpayer dollars without having a reason to spend the dollars,” Johnson said. 

“There’s a very real possibility that anything state and municipalities do is trumped by federal law so we shouldn’t be in this business most likely,” Boylan said.

JSO declined an interview, saying this legislation still needs approval by the Mayor’s Office. They did say they will continue to operate under the current state legislation as it relates to criminal violations committed by individuals in the community.

**Mayor Donna Deegan’s full statement:

“We are continuing to review Ordinance #2025-0147-E now that it has passed the City Council. When it was first filed, I raised the issue of redundancy with existing state and federal laws. That concern remains today.

My team is working with the Office of General Counsel to review potential unintended consequences, including the risk that the City of Jacksonville could face a lawsuit that requires taxpayer dollars to defend. This is not hypothetical. A case involving the State of Texas is currently moving through the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

This is a decision we must get right for our community, and it is not one that I intend to rush. Regardless of that, we will make sure that JSO receives the fingerprint scanners they have requested. While my preference was for state funding to be tapped, the City Council has passed an appropriation that we will move forward.

Jacksonville will always follow local, state, and federal laws that are constitutional, and we will always ensure our first responders have the tools they need to do their difficult jobs.”

First Coast News has not yet reached out to the Mayor and asked her about the reactions from council members to her statement.