Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri blamed federal immigration authorities for a practice in which immigrants were released and rebooked into the county jail to circumvent detention limits.
Why it matters: It’s the first time Gualtieri has addressed the findings of a ProPublica investigation outlining the rebooking practice at the Pinellas and Orange County jails.
- The report has drawn the attention of the Pinellas Human Rights Board, whose chair, County Commissioner René Flowers, said this week she wants Gualtieri to address community concerns about the rebooking practice.
What they’re saying: In an interview with Axios, Gualtieri said the practice was “totally on” Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and that the issue arose because the federal agency doesn’t have enough detention space.
- “It’s stupid,” Gualtieri said of the ProPublica report, which he declined to be interviewed for. “They’re making something out of nothing as far as I’m concerned.”
- He added that ICE in December designated the jail as a facility that can hold detainees beyond the 72-hour limit that was previously in place, making the rebooking practice a “non-issue.”
Zoom in: A copy of the Dec. 11, 2025, authorization memo that Gualtieri shared with Axios said the change was made due to the “increased operational tempo” of ICE’s enforcement and deportation operations.
The other side: In a statement, ProPublica said the Sheriff’s Office only sent it the memo Wednesday afternoon, days after its investigation was published. The outlet has since updated its story…