1

Senate Resolution

2

A resolution recognizing Sheriff Don Hunter and the

3

Collier County Sheriff's Office for completing the United

4

States Immigration and Customs Enforcement cross-training

5

program to improve immigration enforcement in Florida.

6

7

     WHEREAS, the people of Collier County and the State of

8

Florida have expressed serious concerns related to the need for

9

improved immigration enforcement with respect to individuals who

10

are not lawfully residing in the State of Florida and the United

11

States of America, and

12

     WHEREAS, the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant

13

Responsibility Act added Section 287(g) to the Immigration and

14

Nationality Act authorizing state officers and employees to

15

enforce immigration laws, and

16

     WHEREAS, the cross-designation between the Immigration and

17

Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and state and local patrol

18

officers, detectives, investigators, and correctional officers

19

provides local and state officers with the resources to pursue

20

investigations relating to violent crime, human smuggling, gang

21

and organized crime activity, sexual-related offenses, narcotics

22

smuggling, and money laundering, and

23

     WHEREAS, Collier County Sheriff Don Hunter recognized the

24

benefit to the community of participating in this joint venture

25

with ICE and entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with the

26

Secretary of the United States Department of Homeland Security to

27

cross-train 27 Collier County Sheriff's Office deputies and

28

corrections officers to enforce immigration laws, and

29

     WHEREAS, the Collier County Sheriff's Office is the first

30

local law enforcement agency in Florida to complete the cross-

31

training of officers who are empowered to identify violent

32

criminal aliens, take those aliens into custody, and begin

33

procedures for removing the aliens from Collier County, the State

34

of Florida, and the United States, and

35

     WHEREAS, this innovative, landmark effort by Sheriff Don

36

Hunter and the 27 officers of the Collier County Sheriff's Office

37

will serve to make the State of Florida a place where criminal

38

aliens will not seek respite and a safe haven from prosecution

39

and deportation, thereby making our great state a safer place to

40

live, work, and visit, and

41

     WHEREAS, Sheriff Don Hunter has established himself as a

42

role model for all law enforcement leadership to follow in

43

protecting the people of the State of Florida from criminal

44

activities by those who are not legally residing in the United

45

States, and

46

     WHEREAS, the State of Florida recognizes the benefit to the

47

safety of its residents and visitors and the positive economic

48

effect of these actions in deterring and limiting illegal

49

activities of illegal aliens, NOW, THEREFORE,

50

51

Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida:

52

53

     That the Senate recognizes and commends Sheriff Don Hunter,

54

the Collier County Sheriff's Office, and the 27 Collier County

55

officers who have completed the United States Immigration and

56

Customs Enforcement cross-training program.