JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – “No hate, no fear, immigrants are welcome here,” chanted protesters outside Jacksonville City Hall, voicing their opposition to two new immigration policies introduced by the city council.
During the council’s regular meeting, Councilmen Kevin Carrico and Rory Diamond proposed the bills, sparking backlash from local activist groups.
Maria Garcia, a representative of the Jacksonville Immigrant Rights Alliance, delivered a passionate speech criticizing the proposed policies.
“This new bill, filed by Diamond and Carrico, is a full-on assault on our immigrant communities. They are calling it a crackdown on illegal immigration, but let’s call it what it really is, a hateful, fear-driven attack on people who are just trying to live their lives.”
Both bills use the term “unauthorized aliens,” but for this story, we’ll use “immigrants in the country illegally” to align with journalistic standards.
Councilman Carrico’s bill says it aligns with efforts by President Donald Trump and the Florida Legislature to combat illegal immigration. It proposes allocating $76,250 to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office for 25 fingerprint readers. Also it would make it a crime for someone in the country illegally to enter or reside in Jacksonville.
Carrico explained the budget allocation, stating, “Their budget, although it’s large, is tight, so every dollar is allocated for a specific purpose. This wasn’t budgeted in their budget. So they needed it. We had some extra budgets for some economic incentive deals that didn’t max out on what they allocated for. So you can’t put a price tag on public safety.”
Among the protesters was Jonathan Gonzalo Kleinick, who moved to Jacksonville in 2018. Originally from the West Coast, with family ties to Tijuana, Mexico, Kleinick expressed concern about the potential dangers of the policies.
“Especially considering, in the past with ICE and other law enforcement supporting ICE, they have historically not had the best track record of actually, you know, being able to find someone who is undocumented and sorting them out between those who do have their proper documentation status in order,” he said.
Diamond’s bill requires a report from the mayor’s office on federal grants, Diversity Equity and Inclusion practices, and housing related to immigrants in the country illegally.
In response to accusations that the bills are politically motivated, Diamond dismissed the protesters' claims.
“It’s a bunch of paid protesters out there, you know, who are taking their orders from others, so I’m not really worried about what they’re having to say out there,” he said, admitting he had no proof the protesters were paid.
Diamond understands that not everyone will like his immigration bill.
“I guarantee you, the vast majority of people in Jacksonville want their taxpayer money to go to people who are in the country legally and to go to our local citizens,” he said.
Despite the proposed legislation, residents like Kleinick remain determined to continue their fight.
“We’re going to keep fighting until we see results,” he said.
News4Jax contacted Mayor Donna Deegan’s office for a comment on the protests to the immigration bills but didn’t hear back.
Several weeks ago we received a statement from her office about fears of immigrant deportation:
“The City of Jacksonville will always follow the law as long as those laws are constitutional. We have a large, vibrant immigrant community here, and I believe they know where my heart is. I want them to know that they matter, that we see them, and that we will help them in any way we can. Part of this is making sure they know their rights, and we’ll be doing more there. All in all, it’s my hope and expectation that the many hard-working immigrants who are here doing things the right way will be treated with dignity and respect.”
Mayor Donna Deegan
