Florida Sheriffs revive controversial ICE program
The Florida Sheriff’s Association plans to bring back a controversial program that faced criticism for racial profiling. The group announced it at a meeting in Polk County Monday, detailing how they plan to crack down on undocumented immigrants in the state.
President of the Florida Sheriff’s Association Bill Prummel announced they are reinstating a street task force program. It gives state and local law enforcement more power under ICE to deport undocumented immigrants.
President Donald Trump restored the controversial program in an executive order last month.
It ended 13 years ago after a federal investigation found racism against Latinos in Arizona.
But when asked about the fear of racial profiling here in Florida, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd completely dismissed it.
“We’re tired of hearing that crap. It’s BS. It’s total BS. It’s woke left crazy talk.”
But Florida Immigrant Coalition’s Thomas Kennedy argues that illegal racial profiling is a very real possibility.
“It’s not going to be woke-left crazy talk when there are dozens of lawsuits against police departments like his because these officers are engaging in racial profiling.”
Kennedy says the plans erode the trust of the community and make undocumented victims more hesitant to seek help in potentially violent situations.
Florida lawmakers could allow 'granny cams' in nursing homes
A House panel advances a proposal that would place monitoring devices in the rooms of nursing home residents, with caveats. Debate centers around security and protection vs. privacy and dignity.
A House panel approved a proposal requiring nursing homes and assisted living facilities to allow video cameras and electronic monitoring devices in residents’ rooms.
Supporters said the bill would help protect seniors, including those with Alzheimer’s disease.
The bill would bar making video or audio available on the internet.
IM-2 Mission to the Moon.
SpaceX is scheduled to launch a lunar lander this week. WFIT’s Rick Glasby has the story:
The spacecraft from Intuitive Machines will launch on a Falcon 9 from Kennedy Space Center no earlier than Wednesday. The objective is to place the lander near a crater at the south pole of the moon where a drill and mass spectrometer will look for the presence of lunar water ice. During the mission, a second vehicle, a standalone hopper lander, will explore difficult-to-reach areas in search of lunar ice.
The one-hour launch window is currently scheduled for 7PM Wednesday.
USDA scholarship for students at historically Black colleges suspended
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has suspended the 1890 Scholars Program, a federal scholarship covering full tuition for students from underserved and rural areas at historically Black colleges and universities. The pause, affecting studies in agriculture and related fields at 19 land-grant institutions like Florida A&M, follows a funding freeze under President Trump’s administration to review spending alignment with his climate and diversity policies. The freeze faces a court challenge with a temporary hold in place. In October, $19.2 million was allocated, awarding scholarships to 94 students in 2024.
Unemployment claims in Florida declined last week
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Initial filings for unemployment benefits in Florida dropped last week.
New jobless claims fell to 5,615 in the week ending February 15, down from 6,778 the week before.
U.S. unemployment claims were up 5,000 from the week prior on a seasonally adjusted basis.
More: www.floridatoday.com
