State and Local Government

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Thursday that the state will 'respect law enforcement' and 'the rule of law' as he backed Jacksonville’s decision to place its Hispanic Outreach Coordinator, Yanira 'Yaya' Cardona, on administrative leave after she used Instagram Live to warn residents that ICE had set up 'speed traps' and was targeting certain roads and types of businesses. Cardona, appointed by Democratic Mayor Donna Deegan, told viewers that 'ICE is out and about,' advised them to stay home if possible, and urged them to line up lawyers, powers of attorney and compliance plans amid stepped‑up immigration enforcement. DeSantis also referenced an unrelated Florida woman accused of assaulting ICE agents, saying, 'this is not Minneapolis. That is not going to end well for you in Florida,' underscoring his message that confrontation with officers will bring 'consequences.' Deegan, while stressing Jacksonville is 'a city of immigrants' and that many residents are frightened by national ICE crackdowns and reports of citizens being detained, said the leave was not about Cardona’s substantive warnings and that her video shared information already circulating in local news and on social media. The clash highlights how local officials walking a line between informing immigrant communities and avoiding interference with federal enforcement are colliding with Republican leaders who want state and city workers firmly on ICE’s side as raids expand nationwide.