Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd participated in his second day of meetings with the nation’s top law enforcement officials on Wednesday.
- Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd attended two-day event
- President Trump talked about number of issues
- Brevard County sheriff honored during event
The main topic was law and order.
"You have a true, true friend in the White House," said President Donald Trump to the group of county sheriffs and police chiefs.
"We need security in our country,” said the President. “We need to allow you folks to do your job. You're great people, great people."
President Trump talked about issues from the Travel Ban to fighting drug cartels.
Sheriff Grady Judd gave us a front row seat to the event while he tweeted pictures of the speech.
Judd tweeted pics of the president's speech and several photos, including one of him with Homeland Security Director Gen. John Kelly and FBI Director James Comey.
He also posted a video on Facebook on Wednesday reacting to the president's remarks.
“He just spoke to us and made it very clear that he had our backs while we protect and serve the community,” said Sheriff Judd in a video posted on Facebook. “And that's very important to us. It's a great message to hear. It's a very refreshing message to hear."
President Trump said during his speech a more collaborative effort will exist between local law enforcement and the feds, specifically with the war on drugs.
"You have that power because you know them," Trump said. "You're there, you're local. You know the illegals, you know them by their first names. You know them by their nicknames. You have that power. The federal government can never be that precise."
After the speech, the sheriff even had a high profile role in the panel discussions Wednesday.
Sitting in the same room as FBI Director James Comey and Homeland Security Secretary Retired General John Kelly, the sheriff told us he thinks the new executive orders granting him immigration enforcement powers are a good thing.
"If you're illegally here and committing crimes, felonies in particular...you need to be out of this country right now," said the sheriff.
The topic brought to light a part of the signed Executive Order on Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements.
The Executive Order states the new powers local law enforcement has to act as immigration enforcement officers.
"It is the policy of the executive branch to empower state and local law enforcement agencies across the country to perform the functions of an immigration officer,” reads the order. "…in relation to the investigation, apprehension, or detention of aliens in the United States under the direction and the supervision of the secretary."
In essence, Sheriff Judd can now function as an immigration enforcement officer as well.
While the Obama Administration legally fought this type of immigration enforcement in Arizona, this time around it's the White House leading the charge.