City Council fails to override Donna Deegan veto of Jacksonville illegal immigration bill

Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan‘s veto of a controversial bill taking aim at illegal immigrants survived a City Council override attempt Tuesday.

While a simple majority of eight of the 15 members present voted to overturn the mayoral veto, at least ten were needed to constitute a 2/3 supermajority.

In a memo, Deegan said the measure is “duplicative,” lacks a “defined scope,” leaves the city open to “legal exposure” and “was passed in a context of misinformation.”

Ordinance 2025-138-E, which was passed two weeks ago by an 11-7 City Council vote, called on her administration to block city funds from going to unauthorized aliens via cultural service grants. It also urges Deegan to tell what city programs are going for diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, and to account for any noncitizens in public housing.

Council member Rory Diamond, the measure’s sponsor, denounced the veto, and promised to “put this same bill in this year’s budget.”

“By vetoing a bill I authored, as well as the members of city council who voted in favor with overwhelming support, to stop the use of taxpayer dollars from being spent on illegal aliens, Mayor Donna Deegan is making Jacksonville a sanctuary city under our noses,” the Beaches Republican said.

The state GOP is also unhappy.

“Donna Deegan has once again shown her true colors to the people of Jacksonville: she’d rather stand with criminal migrants than legal, hardworking taxpayers. Here in Florida, we won’t tolerate municipalities harboring illegal immigrants and providing a safe haven to those that flout our laws. By vetoing this bill, she is signaling to the entire country that Jacksonville is open for illegal immigration and that local tax dollars are up for grabs to support it. It is simply outrageous,” said Republican Party of Florida Chairman Evan Power.

This is the second illegal immigration bill passed by the Council this year. The “Jacksonville Illegal Immigration Enforcement Act” made illegal immigration a local crime, punishable by at least 30 days in jail.

Mayor Deegan let that measure become law without her signature. Soon thereafter, General Counsel Michael Fackler suggested to the Sheriff’s Office that it might not be enforceable in light of a federal court challenge to statewide laws against illegal immigration.