A Florida sheriff said leveraging relationships with federal immigration enforcement officials is the “tip of the spear” to fight criminal migrants.
St. Johns County Sheriff Robert Hardwick told Fox News Digital his department has a duty to partner with federal officials.
St. Johns County is taking part in the 287(g) program. This initiative allows U.S. Immigration and Customs Protection (ICE) to authorize state and local law enforcement officers to carry out specific immigration tasks. These tasks include identifying and detaining individuals suspected of residing in the country illegally.
The deputy sheriffs in the area have been collaborating with various federal agencies such as ICE, Customs and Border Patrol, and ERO on operations along Interstate 95. They are not only focusing on immigration enforcement but also on combatting human trafficking, sex trafficking, illegal firearms, drugs, and other illicit activities.
Sheriff Hardwick mentioned the challenges faced in identifying individuals involved in illegal activities. Some organizations create fraudulent Social Security numbers and driver’s licenses that appear legitimate, making it harder to detect offenders.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, along with other federal law enforcement agencies, attend a meeting in Chicago Jan. 26, 2025. (Christopher Dilts/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Part of the county’s multipronged approach is using technology to notify law enforcement of who is arriving in its jurisdiction.
“We have really been working Interstate 95 hard because we know there’s a lot of interdiction out there that is being overlooked. We have a brand-new tool and technique here in Saint Johns County. We just fired up just recently,” he said. “We have license plate readers on our north and south border and, as you enter, your car tags are run.
“As of yesterday, we’re averaging between 17 and 22 hits, meaning those could be stolen cars, wanted persons or deportation orders where someone’s wanted on the criminal alien list. So, I think we’re just doing things just a little bit different here in St. Johns County and leading from the front, leading by example.”
President Donald Trump speaks about the economy during an event at the Circa Resort and Casino in Las Vegas Jan. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Referencing Gov. Ron DeSantis’ newly signed legislation that passed sweeping immigration laws in Florida, Hardwick said his office is waiting for additional guidance on immigration enforcement.
“We only have 1,500 beds in the state of Florida for deportation,” he said. “And Florida has over 23 million people living here. We just have to track the ones that have a warrant for their arrest, and we need to get them out of our country.”
He noted that President Donald Trump has been “crystal clear that immigration has been No. 1 on his list.”
“Let’s start preparing for if that happens and what it will look like,” he said.
“I think it’s important that we just do something a little bit different, and we don’t come in this job and sit as elected officials and do the status quo,” he added. “You have got to think outside the box.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House, ICE and Gov. DeSantis’ office for comment.
