TALLAHASSEE, FL — Governor Ron DeSantis and the Cabinet have sanctioned $90 million in grants aimed at supporting local law enforcement agencies in their efforts to combat illegal immigration.
This substantial funding will be distributed among 56 police departments across various counties and cities, facilitating the acquisition of essential equipment. Items covered include radios, body cameras, riot gear, ballistic helmets, X-ray machines, and inmate restraint chairs.
DeSantis, alongside Attorney General James Usmayer, Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia, and Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson—members of the state Immigration Executive Committee—unanimously endorsed this financial initiative.
Of the allocated $90 million, $30.3 million will be designated for new grants, while an additional $57 million will bolster existing requests from law enforcement agencies already seeking assistance.
Among the recent applications, the sheriff’s offices in Orange County and Polk County sought the largest amounts. Orange County’s request totals $10 million, primarily directed toward equipment, including $9 million earmarked for 910 handheld radios.
Polk County’s Sheriff’s Office also proposed a $10 million budget, with $8.7 million dedicated to encrypted radio systems and servers. Currently, the office’s radios lack encryption, which hampers communication with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. The upgrade aims to enhance officer safety and secure sensitive communications.
In addition, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office is requesting approximately $9 million, which includes over $2.5 million for a rapid DNA testing system and 2,000 DNA-treated swabs. This advancement is expected to expedite the resolution of immigration status and allow law enforcement to focus on more critical tasks.
The Collier County Sheriff’s Office has submitted a request exceeding $8 million, with about $5 million allocated for communications equipment, notably including $600,000 for two SkyWatch mobile towers to improve situational awareness during immigration operations.
According to Transparency Florida, a government spending tracking website, the state previously disbursed $5 million from a total of $147 million allocated for immigration enforcement grants across 25 agencies. Further funding of $250 million has been set aside for 2025, aimed at reimbursing local law enforcement for expenses related to illegal immigration enforcement activities, including overtime for employees involved in ICE operations.
Funding for Local Agencies
Buckeye County and the Treasure Coast are set to benefit from the latest immigration enforcement grants. In Palm Beach County, the Boynton Beach Police Department is slated to receive$545,668, designated for equipment, hardware, and software pertinent to 287(g) immigration operations. This includes $360,556 for a two-year subscription to the Peregrine platform, $99,000 for a two-year Peregrine AI Pro add-on, and $86,112 for Axon Auto Transcribe software to support body-worn cameras.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office is also part of the funding but will see a budget amendment rather than a new award. The total application amount stands at $1,990,731.40, with reallocated funding moving from detention beds and transportation to equipment purchases, adjusting that category to $1,985,465.65.
On the Treasure Coast, the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office is involved in a budget amendment that increases their total grant amount by $237,155.71, bringing it to $1,235,940.10. This amendment redistributes funding to emphasize the acquisition of equipment, hardware, and software, boosting that category to $1,057,594.60 while reducing allocations for training and transportation. Items included in the budget are Rapid ID devices, radio frequency identification systems, DNA oral swab kits, web-based software, electric bicycles, and a two-year package for the Peregrine platform.
