TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — After the Trump administration sent Marines and National Guard troops to Los Angeles in response to the protests against immigration enforcement, Gov. Ron DeSantis proposed adding another group to the mix: the Florida State Guard.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, however, declined DeSantis’ offer.
“Given the guard were not needed in the first place, we declined Governor DeSantis’ attempt to inflame an already chaotic situation made worse by his party’s leader,” Newsom spokesperson Diana Crofts-Pelayo told the Herald in an email.
A state guard, maintained in 23 states, is a state-trained, state-funded volunteer force meant to respond to “man-made and natural disasters.” Florida’s guard was inactive for around 75 years until DeSantis reactivated it in 2022. He sent it across state lines in 2024 to fortify the Texas border and again to aid North Carolina in the wake of Hurricane Helene.
The Florida State Guard, which faced controversy for its militaristic training, was revived not just for emergencies, but also aiding law enforcement with riots and illegal immigration, according to its officials.
DeSantis’ offer comes amid his criticism of California’s efforts at controlling protesters while going toe-to-toe with Newsom on social media. Reports of vandalized businesses, damaged police cruisers, road shutdowns and looting this past week in downtown Los Angeles have spurred DeSantis’ attacks, calling the protests “disgraceful.”
“That would never fly in the state of Florida, not for one minute,” DeSantis said during a Tuesday press conference in Jacksonville. “You would end up in the slammer very quickly.”
Florida has not seen any major ICE protests like the ones in Los Angeles. About 100 people gathered outside Tampa City Hall on Monday to protest ICE, according to The Tampa Bay Times. Last Thursday, several dozen Cuban detainees at Krome Detention Center in Miami-Dade staged their own protest, lining up to form an “SOS” sign. But no violence has been reported so far.
DeSantis also voiced his support for President Donald Trump’s decision to send both the National Guard and the Marines to Los Angeles, which has generated a lawsuit from Newsom’s office. DeSantis emphasized Florida’s willingness to cooperate with ICE and the rest of the federal government, appearing to reference Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony as he said if local officials like sheriffs refuse to cooperate, they will be “out of a job.”
Tony said during a county meeting in early June that he would not prioritize arresting undocumented immigrants who haven’t committed crimes. On Monday, Attorney General James Uthmeier posted a letter on X reminding Tony that being uncooperative could result in his removal.
“All state and local law enforcement agencies are required to participate with ICE for immigration enforcement, and that’s the only way you’re ever going to do this and do this well,” DeSantis said.
As for the protesters themselves, DeSantis had a message for anyone in Florida looking to shut down streets like the protests in Los Angeles: “don’t even try.”