(FLORIDA) The Taylor County Sheriff’s Office has received $991,279 from the state to cover the costs of immigration enforcement, a reimbursement approved on October 14, 2025 and publicly announced on November 5, 2025. The funding, drawn from Florida’s State Board of Immigration Enforcement, pays back the sheriff’s office for work done under the federal ICE 287(g) program and other duties tied to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, with state officials saying the aim is to support local policing and ease the load on county taxpayers.
Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia unveiled the awards to multiple agencies statewide and praised local officers for taking on extra duties to support immigration enforcement.
“Our law enforcement professionals put their lives on the line every single day. They deserve our support and the resources necessary to keep our communities safe. As our officers work overtime to clean up the immigration mess that the previous administration made, I applaud the efforts of President Trump and Governor Ron DeSantis to maximize every resource available for law enforcement to help secure the border and protect our citizens,” said Ingoglia.
Taylor County’s allocation is one of the largest in the state, and county officials say the money pays for actual, already-incurred costs rather than expanding programs. Sheriff Wayne Padgett said,
“Every day, our priority is to protect the citizens of Taylor County. With this funding provided by the State Board of Immigration Enforcement, we are deporting criminal aliens who cause harm to our people. Thank you, CFO Ingoglia, for your unwavering support for our law enforcement officers.”
He has also emphasized that the state money does not create new enforcement programs but reimburses existing costs borne by his office as part of cooperation with federal authorities.
The largest share of the reimbursement—$623,055—covers detention bed costs for holding people on behalf of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The sheriff’s office has dedicated 25 jail beds specifically for ICE detainees at a per-bed daily rate of $68.28, budgeted for 365 days. County officials said carving out those 25 beds ensures Taylor County’s jail capacity is not overrun by federal holds and that the county is compensated for that space and the associated staffing and operational demands. The per diem rate is calculated to include housing, security, and basic detention services, and the state reimbursement relieves the county from absorbing those federal detention costs.
Training under the 287(g) agreement forms the second-largest line item, at $309,771.50, covering overtime, travel, and lodging for 15 officers to attend ICE credentialing and tactical training. The sheriff’s office said the training includes sessions run by ICE and the Department of Homeland Security, focusing on credentialing, tactical procedures, and inter-agency coordination workshops necessary for county staff to perform federal immigration enforcement functions. Under 287(g), local officers are trained and authorized to perform certain federal immigration tasks under ICE supervision; state funds, county officials said, are critical to pay for overtime shifts backfilling those officers, as well as airfare, meals, lodging, and mileage when training occurs outside Taylor County. The sheriff’s office described this as essential to maintaining a trained roster without draining local budgets as staffing levels shift to accommodate ICE-driven assignments.
Another $42,305 reimburses transportation costs linked to ICE transfers. Deputies assigned to move detainees to ICE custody often travel outside the county for handovers, medical appointments ordered by federal authorities, or transfers between facilities. Taylor County documented overtime hours, mileage, and related travel expenses, including meals and lodging when trips could not be completed in a single day. The county said the state reimbursement ensures federal transfer duties do not pull dollars from routine patrols, jail operations, or community services that are funded locally.
The award also includes $16,147 for overtime for existing law enforcement and corrections personnel, tied to the surge in workload that usually accompanies 287(g) operations and ICE detainers. Officials noted that overtime spikes when ICE requests quick transfers or when detention beds fill and extra staff is required to manage intakes, security, and transport. These overtime reimbursements are intended to stabilize scheduling and reduce the chance that other county duties, like court escorts or local investigations, get delayed because of federal holds and transfers.
In addition, the state authorized one-time bonuses recognizing the added workload and risks for officers involved in immigration enforcement. The sheriff’s office recorded $8,612 for law enforcement officer bonuses and $7,535.50 for corrections officer bonuses, which the county said were calculated with FICA and according to agency payroll procedures. County records show the bonus payments covered eight law enforcement officers and seven corrections officers assigned to immigration enforcement tasks. Taylor County officials said the targeted bonuses help them retain officers who take on overtime-heavy assignments related to ICE holds, transports, and field coordination.
The State Board of Immigration Enforcement program—whose leadership includes CFO Blaise Ingoglia, Governor Ron DeSantis, Attorney General James Uthmeier, and Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson—funds local agencies for costs incurred under the 287(g) agreement with ICE. State officials argue the funding structure backs local partners that help identify and detain people flagged by federal databases without forcing county budgets to absorb federal responsibilities. The Taylor County Sheriff’s Office’s share ranks as the second-highest reimbursement in Florida under the current awards. Other recipients include Leon County at $499,523, Suwannee County at $212,376, Jefferson County at $130,660.70, and the Chattahoochee Police Department at $30,440.
For Taylor County residents, sheriff’s officials say the reimbursement means the county will not have to divert local funds to cover federal detention, training, and transport needs tied to immigration enforcement. Sheriff Padgett has argued that channeling state money to activities performed under federal direction is a straightforward matter of fairness for local taxpayers. He said the support takes the load off county budgets that would otherwise be stretched by per-bed detention bills, travel to credentialing courses, and the overtime required to keep regular law enforcement services going while officers attend training or conduct ICE-related operations.
The 287(g) program itself is a federal partnership under which local officers, once trained and authorized, can perform certain immigration enforcement functions under ICE supervision. In Taylor County, the sheriff’s office said this includes using ICE databases to confirm immigration status, lodging detainers, and coordinating transfers when federal authorities take custody. State officials backing the reimbursement pointed to 287(g) as a force multiplier for immigration enforcement inside jails and during coordinated operations with federal agents. For federal program details, ICE maintains a public page explaining the 287(g) model and its law enforcement partnerships, available at the ICE 287(g) program.
The detention bed allocation—25 beds at a fixed per diem—reflects what sheriff’s officials described as a balancing act: reserve enough capacity to meet ICE detainer needs without crowding out local inmates who must be held for county cases. The per-bed reimbursement, they said, formalizes an arrangement that had strained small-county jail budgets when federal detainers peaked. Staff noted that without a dedicated per diem, local jails can face unpredictable costs, as ICE detainers often involve longer holds while federal processing unfolds. By locking in the rate and reimbursing annually, the state aims to stabilize costs for counties like Taylor County that participate in immigration enforcement.
Training costs have also mounted as the sheriff’s office maintains a 287(g)-credentialed team across shifts. Travel for 15 officers to complete ICE and DHS courses requires covering their shifts at home, paying for overtime on backfill, and covering direct expenses such as lodging and mileage. The sheriff’s office said the 287(g) training spans credentialing, tactical instruction, and inter-agency coordination workshops that align local procedures with federal standards. County administrators said the state-funded reimbursement lets them keep that pipeline going without delaying other required trainings or cutting community programs to cover travel and overtime bills.
Transport work has been a recurring pressure point. Deputies must move detainees to ICE custody or other facilities, often on short notice and sometimes across multiple counties. Those trips can take full days with deputies on overtime, and lodging is sometimes necessary to meet ICE timing or to complete multi-stop transfers. The $42,305 reimbursement for transportation collects those incremental costs, which county officials said can quietly add up over a year of frequent ICE-related movements. In smaller agencies, officials added, those trips can pull patrol units off the road unless overtime is available to fill the gaps.
The state also reimbursed overtime linked to immigration enforcement work by both deputies and corrections staff. The $16,147 awarded there, while smaller than the detention and training lines, fills in the often-overlooked weekend and overnight hours when ICE holds or transfers happen. Officials said this prevents a ripple effect where overtime spent on immigration enforcement would otherwise mean fewer resources for local patrols or delayed responses when shifts run thin.
Bonus payments, the final component of the award, are framed as a tool to keep experienced staff in assignments that require specialized training and carry added risks. The $8,612 for law enforcement officer bonuses and $7,535.50 for corrections officer bonuses, calculated with FICA and processed through agency payroll, were distributed to officers actively involved in immigration enforcement duties. The sheriff’s office said targeted bonuses are one of the few ways to recognize the heavier rotation load that comes with ICE detainers and 287(g) responsibilities, which can pull officers into extended hours and extended travel.
Taylor County’s near-million-dollar reimbursement sets it apart from many peers. While Leon County’s $499,523 award is substantial, and Suwannee County’s $212,376, Jefferson County’s $130,660.70, and the Chattahoochee Police Department’s $30,440 illustrate the range of payments, Taylor County’s position as the second-highest recipient underscores how much work its sheriff’s office has taken on in the immigration enforcement arena. State officials tie those differences to the number of dedicated detention beds, the scale of 287(g) training cohorts, and the frequency of ICE transports handled by each agency.
County leaders and state officials framed the reimbursement as a matter of fiscal responsibility rather than a shift in policy. Sheriff Padgett has repeatedly said the money pays back the county for work it is already doing under federal direction and state policy. State leaders emphasized the same point, arguing that Florida’s State Board of Immigration Enforcement is designed to support local agencies engaged in federal partnerships and to “take the load off of local taxpayers” rather than launch new enforcement mandates. By converting detention per diems, training travel, and transport overtime into a state-backed reimbursement, Taylor County can keep its existing programs running without dipping deeper into local funds.
The award also arrives amid a broader political push from state leaders to bolster immigration enforcement through local-federal cooperation. Ingoglia’s announcement highlighted that push and praised both state and federal leadership for aligning resources. While the sheriff’s office used the funds for very specific, procedural needs—beds, training, transports, overtime, and bonuses—the timing of the announcement placed Taylor County squarely in a high-profile statewide effort to reinforce local participation in federal immigration enforcement frameworks.
For residents in Taylor County, the practical effects may be felt most in the county budget. Officials say the reimbursement offsets costs that would otherwise compete with road maintenance, emergency services, and other priorities. For law enforcement, the award underwrites a year of detention capacity dedicated to ICE detainees, supports a 15-officer 287(g)-trained corps, and ensures deputies are paid for the extra hours spent on ICE transfers. For the state, the funding shows a willingness to underwrite local partners in a federal system that often leaves counties bridging gaps between local responsibilities and federal detainer requirements.
As with other counties receiving awards, Taylor County will account for every reimbursed dollar through standard agency payroll and auditing procedures. The sheriff’s office said it would continue tracking bed usage, training rosters, transport logs, and overtime assignments tied to immigration cases, providing documentation to match each reimbursement category. County officials expressed confidence that the structure will help them plan for the next cycle of 287(g) credentialing and coordinate with ICE without unpredictably draining local coffers.
The award was approved on October 14, 2025 and announced on November 5, 2025, marking a clear timeline that sheriff’s officials said would help them align training schedules and detention capacity planning with the state’s reimbursement calendar. With the funds now in place, Taylor County will continue providing 25 ICE-dedicated beds at the $68.28 daily rate, keep its 287(g) cohort trained and credentialed, cover transport and overtime costs tied to ICE transfers, and fund the one-time bonuses for officers who shoulder the added workload. In a county where budgets are tight, officials argue that this reimbursement is less about new initiatives and more about matching dollars to duties already being performed in cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
This Article in a Nutshell
Florida approved a $991,279 reimbursement to Taylor County on Oct. 14, 2025 (announced Nov. 5) to cover immigration-enforcement expenses tied to ICE cooperation. The largest allocations are $623,055 for 25 detention beds at $68.28 per day and $309,771.50 for 287(g) training for 15 officers. Additional funds cover transport ($42,305), overtime ($16,147), and bonuses for law enforcement and corrections staff. Officials say the award reimburses existing costs, preserves jail capacity, and prevents local budgets from absorbing federal expenses.
