On Tuesday, January 27th, the Leon County Commission, after much discussion, voted 6-1 to accept a $500,000 grant that reimburses LCSO for expenses it has and will incur for cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Commissioner David O’Keefe voting no. Leon County commissione rs debated whether or not to accept the State Board of Immigration Enforcement funds during their Tuesday meeting but eventually voted to accept the grant. The LCSO senior executive director and CFO, Elise Gann, told commissioners that if they denied the grant, the sheriff’s office would pay the costs with local tax money. After the meeting, O’Keefe took to social to explain his vote and wrote, “I will not abandon my morals, my integrity, or my belief in the human dignity of every person. Leadership means standing firm when it matters most. Grant dollars should never come at the cost of fear or harm.” He added, “Whenever we detain or arrest someone for ICE and transfer them to ICE custody, we bear some responsibility for what happens next.” O’Keefe also compared the agreement to the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 and to municipal orders under the Nuremberg Laws. The Nuremburg Laws were antisemitic and racist laws enacted in Nazi Germany on September 15, 1935. Commissioner Rick Minor, who voted to support the grant, noted that “A yes vote means the state pays for this. Today’s vote only determines who pays for this.” The Grant Under the agreement with ICE, LCSO will enforce immigration violations as part of their routine duties and allow ICE to train, certify, and authorize local law enforcement to serve and execute administrative warrants in their jails. A $250,000,000 appropriation was authorized to pass through to local law enforcement agencies and county detention facilities in support of the grant program. LCSO has been awarded up to $499,523 for the reimbursement of costs incurred between February 17, 2025, until June 30, 2026. LCSO’s CFO says the sheriff’s office has spent about $29,000 to support immigration enforcement and has had 87 ICE detainers at the Leon County Detention Facility. FULS STATEMENT BY LEON COUNTY COMMISSIONER DAVID OKEEFE Today, I voted to approve eight important public safety grants for Leon County—grants that protect children, assist victims, combat human trafficking, and keep our community safe. However, I voted NO on the immigration enforcement grant, and I want to explain why. The Commission voted 6-to-1 to accept the immigration grant funding. As my colleagues said at the meeting, they are not voting in agreement or in support of the ICE campaign of so-called immigration enforcement. They only voted to accept state tax dollars for this activity. I also want to be clear that I understand the Sheriff is in a difficult position under these overreaching dictates from the State of Florida. Our Leon County Sheriff is the best law enforcement professional we could ask for. As for my vote. History warns us that “just following the law” has led to grave injustices before—from the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 to municipal orders under the Nuremberg Laws. Accepting this grant means agreeing to participate in a system that harms people, instills fear, and strips people of their dignity. Whenever we detain or arrest someone for ICE and transfer them to ICE custody, we bear some responsibility for what happens next.Today, we learned that the State is requiring deputies to deploy to state immigration camps across Florida. The terms of this grant impose additional requirements beyond the previously mandated cooperation: reporting all interactions with suspected immigrants into a database—including full details about their lives, work, families, and photo—even if they are not arrested. It allocates $250,000 for ICE training and bonuses for 62 deputies, making up over half of the state grant total.I will not abandon my morals, my integrity, or my belief in the human dignity of every person. Leadership means standing firm when it matters most. Grant dollars should never come at the cost of fear or harm. ...read more read less