By Donovan Bradley
Florida leads the nation in assisting with President Trump’s illegal immigration crackdown, but Jacksonville’s Democratic Mayor resists.
On March 25, 2025, Jacksonville became the first city in the United States to enact a local immigration bill following the passage of the Jacksonville Illegal Immigration Act by the Republican super-majority city council. The Democratic mayor, Donna Deegan, slammed the legislation that criminalized undocumented residency in Jacksonville, mandated local law enforcement notify ICE when individuals without U.S. citizenship are arrested, and authorized mobile fingerprint scanners for the Sheriff’s Office to instantly run fingerprints through federal databases. Deegan called the bill “redundant” and argued that its passage was purely “performative.”
On April 2, Deegan held a press conference flanked by immigration activists where she announced her refusal to sign the bill. Deegan claimed that legislation was “not necessary” and denounced a similar council proposal that would prevent city grants from being used for non-citizens. Further, the Deegan administration sent an email to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office advising the agency not to enforce state or local immigration laws—a direct defiance of both Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and President Donald Trump. Notably, Deegan has absolutely no authority over JSO and Sheriff TK Waters (R) flatly rejected the administration’s position, saying, “as a law enforcement agency, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office will always enforce federal, state, and local laws,” delivering a massive blow to the out-of-touch mayor.
(READ MORE: Jacksonville, FL Taxpayers Could Be on the Hook for $5 Million Thanks to Mayor’s Gun Registry)
Politics Over Public Safety
Deegan has long been a critic of Trump and the administration’s approach to tackling illegal immigration. In 2018, Deegan blasted the administration’s decision to send troops to the southern border and slammed the Department of Homeland Security for enforcing Trump’s zero tolerance policy. In an attempt to score cheap political points for the Democratic party, Deegan accused Republicans of “trying to cut Medicare,” then added, “But we’ve got plenty of money to send troops to the border.” Significantly, at the time the U.S. Border Patrol faced the highest apprehensions since 2012.
During Trump’s first term, Deegan went so far as to rally her supporters to sign an online petition to end the program mandating criminal prosecution for adults crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally.
Tell @SecNielsen: #StopSeparatingFamilies at the border! SIGN: https://t.co/JaNDxmtlcW @moveon
— Donna Deegan (@DonnaDeegan) May 28, 2018
In October 2024, Deegan traveled to London for a trade mission alongside officials with the Jacksonville Jaguars, the city’s NFL franchise. Instead of selling Jacksonville on the world stage, Deegan appeared on a Times Radio broadcast excoriating Trump’s immigration policies as “inhumane” and “un-American.” While on taxpayers’ dime, Deegan compared the president’s illegal immigration agenda to that of a “concentration camp”—three months after Trump was the target of two assassination attempts. This stunt received major backlash from fellow elected officials and community members, including now-White House Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt—who railed Deegan by saying, “This no-name mayor should resign in disgrace over this egregious comment.”
Following the immense recoil, Deegan issued a paper-thin apology saying she “regrets” her choice of words but had “no regret” about calling out Trump’s immigration policy. Deegan endorsed the failed border czar, Vice President Kamala Harris, for President and pledged to stand with immigrants living in Jacksonville after Trump’s 2024 victory in Duval County.
Deegan’s most justified critic is Florida State Representative, Kiyan Michael (R)—an angel mom whose son was killed by an immigrant illegally residing in Jacksonville. Michael hammered the Deegan administration, saying, “My driving force of fighting against illegal immigration came at too high of a price. Floridians deserve to be first & safe. This won’t fly in my city.”
Deegan is the loudest voice of opposition to Jacksonville’s crackdown on illegal immigration. But with Republicans solidly in control of state and local legislative branches, Deegan will hold the distinction as the most powerless mayor in Florida—a state where American citizens and public safety remain a top priority.