Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia awarded nearly $700,000 to the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office and two other local law enforcement agencies on February 26. The funding, announced in Titusville, will reimburse immigration enforcement efforts by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, Indialantic Police Department, and City of Cocoa Beach Police Department. Ingoglia called the allocation a step toward securing Florida’s border and addressing illegal immigration.
Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey said the money will help deputies remove criminal illegal aliens who have harmed residents. He thanked Ingoglia and the State Board of Immigration Enforcement for the funding. The board, which includes Governor Ron DeSantis, Attorney General James Uthmeier, and Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, approves reimbursements for agencies that apply under a 287(g) agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Ingoglia said Florida law enforcement agencies are working to keep criminal illegal aliens off streets. He mentioned collaboration with President Trump and DeSantis to end the illegal immigration crisis. The funding comes from the State Board of Immigration Enforcement, which awards money to agencies that partner with ICE under federal agreements.
The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office has received similar reimbursements in past years. Indialantic and Cocoa Beach police departments are among the first in the county to get funding this year. The money covers costs for immigration-related operations, including detainers and investigations. Agencies must apply for reimbursement through the state board, which reviews requests based on compliance with federal immigration laws.
The allocation highlights the state’s focus on immigration enforcement. However, some local advocates have raised concerns about the impact on immigrant communities. The funding does not include details on specific programs or outcomes from previous years. The State Board of Immigration Enforcement has not released a full list of recipients or spending breakdowns for 2025.