Florida sheriff slams Washington DC lawmakers after illegal immigrants arrested for $7,300 palmetto berry theft

A Florida sheriff slammed Washington, DC lawmakers for their “complete and total failure” to secure theUS border after several illegal immigrants were arrested in Florida last week for allegedly stealing thousands of pounds of palmetto berries.
$7,300 worth palmetto berries stolen
Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey announced in a video on August 26 that eight suspects, including four illegal immigrants, were arrested for stealing approximately $7,300 worth of palmetto berries from private property.The suspects loaded around 9,000 pounds of berries into a U-Haul, according to a Fox News report.
‘Total failure on Washington DC’
Ivey, who has made multiple trips to the US southern border, said that the issue is not with local enforcement agencies but with Washington, DC lawmakers. “This is a complete and total failure on Washington, DC, for not allowing the laws of our great nation to be enforced,” he said.
Sheriff’s call to action
Sheriff Ivey questioned when the nation will lose tolerance for those illegally entering the US to commit additional crimes. He addressed Washington officials, saying, “Why don’t you allow our Customs and Border Patrol agents to secure our damn border like our laws allow, or get the hell out of the way, and I’ll do it with the help of sheriffs from across the country who actually believe in enforcing the law and are sick and tired of this crap,” according to a Fox News report.
Broader issue
Sheriff Ivey emphasised that while this incident “may not seem like a big deal to some,” it highlights a broader issue involving illegal immigrants committing crimes in the US. “What this case revealed about the subjects who were arrested and the fact that they are in our country illegally drives me absolutely insane,” Ivey said, according to Fox News report.
‘Unless they commit a violent felony…’
Of the four illegal immigrants arrested, two are applying for US citizenship and cannot be deported due to pending court dates regarding their immigration status, said Ivey. The sheriff noted that some of the suspects had been deported previously and had prior felony arrests. He expressed frustration over the lack of enforcement, stating, “Unless they commit a violent felony, they’re not going to be deported no matter how many nonviolent crimes they’ve committed.”