DeSantis, Cabinet name former top aide to manage immigration enforcement

by Jackie Llanos, Florida Phoenix
February 17, 2025

Without much debate or discussion, Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Cabinet handed Larry Keefe, the governor’s former public safety czar, power to distribute some of the $250 million in grants designated for local law enforcement that work with federal immigration agencies.

The governor and Cabinet, acting as the new State Board of Immigration Enforcement, named Keefe its executive director during the board’s first meeting Monday in Niceville. Under a law the Legislature passed and DeSantis signed on Thursday, the board and Keefe will control the multimillion-dollar grant program meant to reimburse local law enforcement agencies that provide beds to agencies such as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The former U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Florida under President Trump’s first term is authorized to approve grants of up to $25,000 without approval from the board. He must recommend additional grant applications for the board to authorize.

“Each of you four know how honored I am that you would repose this trust in me in such an important issue at such an important place in our country’s history, and the turning point where we are, and that I’m honored, and how relentless I will be to make you fulfill your responsibilities under this new legislation,” Keefe said during the meeting, referring to the position as a “perfect job.”

James Uthmeier, the state’s new attorney general, sworn in Monday morning, and DeSantis’ former chief of staff, nominated Keefe for the post. Both are from Okaloosa County. The board — composed of DeSantis, Uthmeier, Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, and Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson — empowered Keefe to write emergency rules to disperse the $250 million.

It took less than 10 minutes for the board to appoint Keefe and no one else was nominated. Police officers who participate in immigration enforcement operations with federal agencies are eligible for bonuses of up to $1,000 each from the grant program.

Monday’s meeting marked the first step toward implementing the immigration enforcement legislation that came out of the month-long dispute between the governor and the Republican leaders of the Legislature. The quarrel mainly centered around who would serve as the state’s chief immigration officer, with DeSantis vying for an appointee within his office and the Legislature wanting to anoint Simpson.

Keefe’s involvement in the migrant flight and suspension of progressive state attorney

During his time working in the governor’s office, Keefe used a secret email address to help a former client, Vertol Systems Co., acquire the $1.5 million contract to fly immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard in 2022, according to records obtained by the NBC affiliate in Miami that year.

ICE would control any operations of the Unauthorized Alien Transport Program and reimburse the state for the cost, under the new law.

“Last time it was Martha’s Vineyard, you know, this time, maybe Guantánamo Bay, Cuba,” DeSantis said during the meeting. “I don’t know how it’s going to shake out. I just know that we’re going to be there, and we’re going to be on the vanguard into that.”

Keefe had also pushed for ousting former Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren, whom DeSantis suspended in August 2022 for alleged “neglect of duty” and “incompetence” after he signed a pledge not to prosecute alleged crimes arising from abortion or transgender care. Warren lost the legal challenge over his suspension and lost the November election for the post.

DeSantis flexed his power to suspend additional local officials. The new law subjects local officials $5,000 fines if they refuse to cooperate with immigration enforcement authorities.

Keefe’s tenure in the governor’s office ended when he quietly resigned in September 2023 and started helping DeSantis’ failed presidential campaign, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

A State Immigration Enforcement Council will advise the board. The governor and the Cabinet members will each appoint a police chief. Senate President Ben Albritton and House Speaker Daniel Perez appointed Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, Duval County Sheriff T.K. Waters, and Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell.

Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Michael Moline for questions: info@floridaphoenix.com.

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