Aaron Bean takes aim, again, at sanctuary cities

State Sen. Aaron Bean‘s district, which encompasses Nassau County and part of Duval, lacks any sanctuary jurisdictions.

However, for the second straight legislative session, Bean will carry the “Rule of Law Adherence Act” (SB 308).

This bill, asserted Bean when he filed the bill originally, requires wayward local authorities to comply with federal immigration law – a priority of the Donald Trump administration. The bill defines what sanctuary cities are, and gives the State Attorney’s Office and the Attorney General the “right to nudge” non-compliant jurisdictions toward enforcement.

The bill creates a “duty to report” immigration violations for local authorities, while allowing for local ordinances compelling reimbursement of costs incurred on the local level in immigration enforcement.

The bill cleared the Florida House largely along party lines last session, but died in Senate Judiciary — the first of four committees that would have heard it.

When we asked Bean, who is perceived to be a moderate by some, if there was a path through committees to the Senate floor, the Senator allowed on Friday that there’s “not a clear path yet, but I am an optimist.”

Of the bill’s provisions, the sanctuary cities piece is the most notable — especially given that there has been some dispute in recent years as to what comprises a sanctuary city.

The state of Georgia banned these in 2009, and in 2016 required that local governments certify cooperation with federal immigration authorities to receive state funding, as the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported earlier this year.

Closer to home, Clay County had been listed by the Center for Immigration Studies as a sanctuary jurisdiction; however, Sheriff Darryl Daniels — who has developed a reputation for playing to the right since elected — told WJXT that “national security” required cooperation with ICE.

 “I want illegal immigrants who commit crimes in Clay County to bear the full weight of the law. If that means deportation, then so be it,” Daniels said.

If Bean’s reboot of this bill can get traction in the Florida Senate, there may be state guidance on sanctuary policies.

If not, they will continue to be handled on a more localized basis.