Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri spearheaded a proposal that would allow local law enforcement to keep illegal immigrants in jail once their charges are resolved.

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis. R-Tarpon Springs, issued a statement Wednesday (Jan. 17) praising an agreement between U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and 17 Florida sheriffs that would allow local law enforcement to keep illegal immigrants in jail until ICE can pick them up.

The new policy, which Pinellas, Pasco and Hillsborough counties have signed onto, is expected to be extended nationwide. It’s a move,  according to the title of Bilirakis’ statement, that can be seen as “spearheading [a] national policy to eradicate sanctuary cities.” Bilirakis applauded Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri for negotiating the change.

“Today, Pinellas County was in the national spotlight due to the visionary leadership of Sheriff Bob Gualtieri who successfully negotiated a practical change in national public policy that prioritizes public safety while protecting taxpayer dollars and respecting the Constitution,” Bilirakis said.

The change applies to illegal immigrants who are arrested and charged with offenses not related to their immigration status. Until now, local law enforcement could not hold them for ICE once those other legal issues had been resolved. Under the new policy, ICE would send a form to local law enforcement and essentially take custody of the immigrant who would remain housed in the local jail. The jail would be paid up to $50 to hold the immigrant for ICE for up to 48 hours.

It’s similar to the procedure jails use to house suspects for the U.S. Marshals Service.

Bilirakis added, “I am so proud of Sheriff Gualtieri and appreciative of his leadership and tireless work on this important issue. By developing this creative solution, he is avoiding frivolous lawsuits and ensuring that criminals who do not belong in our country are not released back onto our streets to endanger our citizens, which is something that we can all agree upon. This is exactly the type of partnership and collaboration between governmental agencies that constituents expect and deserve. I look forward to working closely with him to ensure smooth and seamless implementation.”

Bilirakis represents Florida’s 12th Congressional District, which includes all of Pasco and northern parts of Hillsborough and Pinellas counties.

For information about Bilirakis, go to bilirakis.house.gov.

Gus Bilirakis | Politics | Bob Gualtieri | Immigration | Sanctuary Cities | Crime | ICE | Tampabay News

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