PBC to cooperate with feds on illegal immigration

Palm Beach County is promising it will cooperate with federal immigration agents as part of a new condition on grants awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice.

Law enforcement agencies that sign a “certification of illegal immigration cooperation” will receive extra points used to decide how much in federal assistance they receive, a Justice Department official said.

Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw agreed in the document to give immigration agents access to jails and provide up to 48-hours notice before releasing an inmate who is suspected of being in the country illegally.

Broward Sheriff Scott Israel said his agency is still reviewing the agreement. Miami-Dade officials will sign by the federal government’s 5 p.m. Friday deadline, said Mike Hernández, a spokesman for County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez.

President Donald Trump praised Gimenez last month on Twitter for ordering Miami-Dade jails to honor all federal detention requests to hold inmates wanted for possible deportation.

Bradshaw said his agency has always worked with immigration agents, and the jails under his control follow federal law.

“We have not been, are presently not and will not be a sanctuary county as far as law enforcement is concerned as long as I am the sheriff,” Bradshaw said.

Although no legal definition of a sanctuary community exists, the label applies to cities and counties with policies barring employees from fully cooperating with immigration officials.

Bradshaw said the agreement will not result in deputies conducting immigration roundups or being used to enforce immigration laws. That is the federal government’s responsibility, he said.

The Palm Beach County Commission approved the agreement unanimously Tuesday, and it will also be signed by the county administrator.

In July, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced new requirements would be placed on federal dollars given to law enforcement as part of President Donald Trump’s efforts to crack down on “sanctuary” communities. Sessions said agencies that do not fully cooperate with immigration agents would be denied federal grants.

On Sept. 15, a federal judge in Chicago blocked the federal government from imposing new conditions on federal grants, writing that the city of Chicago had shown a “likelihood of success” in its argument that Sessions exceeded his authority.

Staff writer Larry Barszewski contributed to this report.