JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The city of Jacksonville is considering a plan for how law enforcement should deal with people who are in this county without proper authorization.

Monday a local bill cleared its first hurdle in a city council committee meeting. 

City council’s Neighborhoods, Community Services, Public Health and Safety Committee debated a bill that proposes a person in the country illegally spend 30 days in jail if they are found in the city.

During the meeting, Councilman Jimmy Peluso questioned, “Do we know how much 30 days of jail time costs? Can anyone answer that question? That is a cost that we will bear as taxpayers.”

The bill also sets aside $76,000 of city money to pay for 25 additional mobile fingerprinting devices for the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. A city document says those devices would “enhance identification procedures and ensure compliance with the newly enacted law.”

First Coast News’ Crime and Safety Expert Ken Jefferson explained the devices would help officers in the field if the officers “stop someone under suspicious circumstances and they refuse to give their name or they don’t have any ID.” 

“Or if they perceive that they’re getting a fake name, then (the officers) can run the prints,” Jefferson added. 

The mayor’s office and some city council members were fine with giving JSO needed equipment, but questioned spending more than $76,000 of city money when Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed off on $250 million of state money to give to local law enforcement agencies for enforcing federal immigration laws.

“We as a city shouldn’t need to use any of our funds,” Council Member Tyrona Clark-Murray said. 

Some city councilors questioned if the Jacksonville bill should even go forward, citing Texas and the litigation there regarding local law enforcement and federal immigration laws.

“It may not be their (local law enforcement’s) primary job to do immigration, but it could be a secondary position that they hold,” Jefferson said. 

In the end, the bill passed the committee Monday 4 -3.  It still needs to go before the full city council for approval.

First Coast News asked the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office for information about the mobile fingerprinting devices. We are waiting on a response.