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DeSantis pushes back on ICE attempts to 'poach' Florida's law enforcement agencies

Polk Sheriff Grady Judd said deputies are receiving recruitment emails from ICE offering a potential $50,000 signing bonus and other benefits to join federal law enforcement.
AP, file
Polk Sheriff Grady Judd said deputies are receiving recruitment emails from ICE offering a potential $50,000 signing bonus and other benefits to join federal law enforcement.

Gov. Ron DeSantis' response comes after Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd blamed Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem for his deputies receiving recruitment letters from the federal immigration agency.

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday encouraged sheriffs and police chiefs in the state to fight to keep staff members as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement seeks to recruit officers who recently completed immigration-enforcement training.

DeSantis said he had not seen an ICE recruitment letter that offers a $50,000 signing bonus to recruits who work five years, but he questioned the need to "poach our people who are already in the fight."

Last week, Polk County Sheirff told NBC News that he was "angry" that deputies from his agency were receiving emails from ICE offering the bonus and other benefits to join the federal agency.

“We’re their force multipliers, and this is the thanks we get for helping them do their job?” said Judd, who blamed the recruitment effort on Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who oversees ICE.

“Kristi Noem needs to get on her big girl pants and do what’s right. She needs to make sure that there’s an apology,” said Judd, who added he wants to support President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement.

Pinellas Sheriff Bob Gualtieri told NBC News the same thing was happening in his county.

“ICE actively trying to use our partnership to recruit our personnel is wrong and we have expressed our concern to ICE leadership,” the Pinellas sheriff's office said in a statement to NBC News.

Florida law enforcement agencies have sought to help with immigration enforcement, including through what are known as 287(g) agreements with the federal government.

ALSO READ: ICE recruits former federal workers to join its ranks amid hiring spree

"Sheriffs losing deputies who are in this fight, to just wear a different jersey basically, but still be in the fight, that doesn't necessarily add to what we're doing. It's just moving someone over," DeSantis said during an appearance at the Florida Highway Patrol Troop D Headquarters in Orlando. "So, I think there is frustration from that."

Federal recruitment efforts are tied, at least in part, to $170.7 billion for border security that was included in the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" recently signed by President Donald Trump.

Money, spread over five years is projected to expand ICE from 20,000 employees to 30,000, according to the White House.

DeSantis advised sheriffs to defend their agencies.

"Fight for what you think is right. This isn't my policy," DeSantis said. "It's coming down from ICE. So, by all means, speak up."

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