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Tampa Mayor Revises Police Immigration Policy After Florida AG’s ‘Sanctuary’ Warning

The move answers a state ultimatum with statutory language intended to satisfy Florida’s ban on sanctuary policies.

Overview

  • Mayor Jane Castor told Attorney General James Uthmeier the Tampa Police Department’s updated policy takes effect immediately and reaffirmed the city’s intent to follow state and federal law.
  • The revision confines immigration-enforcement powers to ICE‑trained Designated Immigration Officers, limits status questions to lawful enforcement encounters, and requires officers to document such inquiries.
  • Language previously discouraging information-sharing about cooperative victims and witnesses and barring broad sweeps was removed and replaced with citations to Florida Statute 908.104(7) and (9).
  • Uthmeier had set a March 31 deadline and warned of civil penalties, including possible removal of the mayor, if the city did not reverse policies he labeled illegal.
  • No state enforcement action was reported after the changes, and TPD said six officers and two supervisors currently participate in the federal 287(g) program.