Immigration > Illegal Immigration

Grady Judd’s Illegal Alien Amnesty Turn is the GOP’s Wake-Up Call

Never assume that, because someone appears to be a true conservative, he really is. Every voter must always apply Reagan’s “trust but verify” principle.

Joseph Ford Cotto | March 23, 2026

In Florida, immigration policy is not some empty, red-meat issue for cynical, blowhard career politicians. Brick by brick, the state has built America’s most aggressive sub-federal control system for illegal aliens.

This was driven by a clear premise: unlawful immigrants are bad news for Americans. 

That effort reached a turning point on May 10, 2023, when Governor Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 1718, a sweeping measure that required larger employers to use E-Verify. The law also restricted identification access for illegal aliens. It furthermore penalized the transport of unlawful immigrants and tightened the incentives that draw illegal aliens into the state. 

The law took effect on July 1, 2023, with the explicit goal of deterring illegal employment and reducing the taxpayer burden.

Florida did not stop there. 

In March 2024, additional legislation increased penalties for illegals re-entering the state and barred recognition of certain foreign-issued identification documents. This closed loopholes that had allowed unlawful aliens to carry on across Florida. 

Then, in February 2025, the state went further still. 

New laws criminalized illegals being present in Florida and mandated full local cooperation with federal deportation efforts. They also expanded immigration law enforcement funding and imposed enhanced penalties for crimes committed by unlawful immigrants. There is far too much more to itemize.

These reforms were not symbolic. They were deliberate steps to align state authority with immigration law enforcement in a way few states had attempted.

Within that context, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd became, for many conservatives, a symbol of clarity and resolve. His reputation was built on blunt speech and visible action, in a rapidly growing area between Orlando and Tampa. 

On March 5, 2024, after a human-trafficking operation that resulted in 228 arrests, including 21........

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