Florida just sent a clear message that it won’t tolerate local officials trying to harbor illegal immigrants in sanctuary cities. Now, the Orlando mayor is reversing course.
On Tuesday, WESH-TV reported that Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier sent a letter to Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer after the latter made comments about Orlando police not enforcing immigration law.
According to the report, Dyer made remarks in a council meeting that he would follow the Trust Act, which the Orlando City Council passed in 2018, banning city employees from asking suspects about their immigration status, according to Florida Phoenix.
Uthmeier posted his letter to social media platform X Monday, saying the Trust Act was voided under a 2019 law signed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Today, I sent a letter to @orlandomayor reminding him that the sanctuary policy adopted by the city in 2018, the ‘Trust Act,’ is void under a 2019 law signed by @GovRonDeSantis.
If the city enforces the policy as Mayor Dyer suggested, especially with @OrlandoPolice signing a… pic.twitter.com/InLAJRIDeQ
— Attorney General James Uthmeier (@AGJamesUthmeier) April 14, 2025
Uthmeier cited Chapter 908 of the Florida Statutes. According to that letter, section 908.103 “prohibits law enforcement and local government entities from adopting or having in effect any sanctuary policy.”
Regarding the Trust Act, he wrote, “By prohibiting law enforcement officers from inquiring about a person’s immigration status, the City of Orlando is unlawfully implementing a sanctuary policy and blatantly violating the law.”
Should more states ban sanctuary laws?
He concluded by noting that non-compliance would result in a number of consequences, one being removal from office if Dyer continued down this path.
Clearly, Dyer got the message, as Uthmeier posted the former’s letter in response on Tuesday.
We appreciate @orlandomayor reversing course and confirming that Orlando will enforce state and federal immigration laws. pic.twitter.com/ggcgPIHyOa
— Attorney General James Uthmeier (@AGJamesUthmeier) April 15, 2025
“We appreciate @orlandomayor reversing course and confirming that Orlando will enforce state and federal immigration laws,” the attorney general wrote in a caption.
“Neither I nor the Orlando Police Department have any intention of violating federal or state law,” Dyer stated in his letter.
According to Dyer, OPD is also being trained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, “to provide assistance at its direction.”
.@OrlandoMayor Buddy Dyer backs down on immigration enforcement after threat from @AGJamesUthmeier
Reporting by @JacobOgleshttps://t.co/NPMn2Dgvf2#FlaPol pic.twitter.com/3oseZZ5BIE
— Florida Politics (@Fla_Pol) April 15, 2025
Looks like it did not take long for Dyer to straighten up.
Uthmeier threw the book at him, and the pieces all fell into place.
Florida — long considered a swing state — is now firmly red.
Democrat policies to harbor illegals may be tolerated by state officials in California or Illinois, but Uthmeier just made an example of Dyer for anyone else in the state thinking about pursuing the same course.
Uthmeier is proving to be a wise choice by DeSantis. He’s turned out to be a crusader, putting Floridians — Americans — first.
In February, Uthmeier filed suit on behalf of the Florida State Board of Administration against Target, alleging its woke marketing schemes hurt the state’s retirement fund.
Uthmeier is doing what every public official should do — making his residents his top priority.
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