TAMPA, Fla. — Florida’s attorney general is threatening Tampa’s mayor with removal from office over what he calls unlawful immigration policies within the city’s police department.
In a letter sent Wednesday, James Uthmeier accused the Tampa Police Department of implementing policies that violate Florida’s ban on so-called “sanctuary policies.”
WATCH: Florida AG threatens Tampa mayor with removal over police immigration policies
The letter, addressed to Jane Castor, warns the city must reverse the policies by March 31 or face potential penalties.
“Your office must direct the immediate reversal of these unlawful policies no later than March 31, 2026,” Uthmeier wrote. “Failure to do so will risk the enforcement of all applicable civil penalties, including removal from office by the Governor.”
Uthmeier’s letter focuses on two main policies within the Tampa Police Department.
First, the attorney general says officers are barred from sharing immigration information about crime victims or witnesses with federal immigration authorities.
Second, he says the department limits participation in what it calls “broad-based” immigration enforcement actions.
According to the letter, those restrictions violate Florida law requiring local agencies to assist federal immigration enforcement.
“The law in Florida is clear: sanctuary policies are prohibited, and law enforcement agencies are required to use ‘best efforts’ in assisting federal immigration enforcement,” Uthmeier wrote.
The attorney general also criticized the city’s reasoning for the policy, that victims and witnesses may be less willing to cooperate with police if they fear immigration consequences.
“We want illegal aliens to fear immigration consequences to the extent they are here unlawfully,” the letter states.
Uthmeier argued that policies limiting cooperation with immigration authorities “positively contribute to the mass influx of illegal aliens that Florida has experienced.”
Tampa Bay 28 is told the mayor’s office was surprised by the letter and learned about it at the same time as the public.
In a statement Wednesday, Castor said the city will review the concerns raised by the attorney general.
“The City of Tampa will review the concerns raised and evaluate our policies and procedures to ensure that we use best efforts to support the enforcement of federal immigration law,” Castor said.
According to Department of Homeland Security records, the department already works with federal immigration authorities. It signed a memorandum of agreement with Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) in Feb. 2025.
Under the agreement with ICE, specially trained Tampa officers can carry out certain federal immigration enforcement duties, including questioning individuals about their immigration status and assisting in immigration-related arrests under federal supervision.
The agreement also says participating officers are not required to violate their department’s policies or legal restrictions while assisting with immigration enforcement, unless those rules conflict with federal law.
Local immigration attorney Ahmad Yakzan said he believes parts of the attorney general’s demands could create serious problems, particularly when it comes to victims or witnesses of crimes.
Yakzan also questioned whether the dispute is political.
“I think it is. It absolutely is,” he said.
The attorney general’s office declined an interview request and said it had no additional comment beyond the letter.
City officials say they will review the policies referenced by the attorney general before the March 31 deadline.
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