In a recent operation led by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office Agricultural/Marine Unit, eight individuals were arrested in connection with the illegal harvesting of palmetto berries. The arrests revealed deeper issues related to illegal immigration and border security.
Sheriff Wayne Ivey expressed his frustration and concern over the situation, emphasizing the need for stricter immigration law enforcement.
The operation, which took place last Friday, involved deputies Brian Jones and Rob Rowell, who apprehended the suspects in southern Brevard County. The individuals were caught in the act of loading thousands of pounds of stolen palmetto berries into a U-Haul truck.
Upon further investigation, it was discovered that some of the suspects were in the country illegally, some had criminal histories, including previous deportations, and two suspects were waiting for their citizenship hearings.
“What a bunch of crap, plain and simple. They violated our nation’s immigration laws to get here in the first place, and then they’re out there committing crimes and victimizing our citizens while trying to gain citizenship themselves,” said Ivey.
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Sheriff Ivey didn’t hold back in his criticism of federal authorities, stating, “When are we, as a nation, going to say we’ve had enough of this crap with people illegally crossing our borders and gaining entry into our country? Please understand, this is not a failure on our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s office, the Border Patrol, or even the Department of Homeland Security. This is a complete and total failure on Washington D.C. for not allowing the laws of our great nation to be enforced. Stop it. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that every single day our borders are left wide open for those to cross illegally, is yet another day that puts our citizens and their property at risk.”
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He continued, “We are talking about illegal activities like the flood of fentanyl that is crossing the border, human trafficking, and yes, even the theft of our citizens’ property that they worked hard to have. How many more U.S. citizens have to be victimized before we stop the insanity of allowing people to enter our country illegally with no consequences for their actions? How many more Angel families need to lose a loved one to the actions of those here illegally, and how many more fentanyl deaths have to happen before we get serious about what is impacting our country in the absolute worst way? Why don’t you allow our Customs and Border Patrol agents to secure the 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 who are sick and tired of this crap.”
During the operation, deputies seized over 9,000 pounds of stolen berries, valued at approximately $7,300, along with the vehicle and trailer used in the crime.
The suspects are currently being held at the Brevard County Jail, with bonds set at $2,500 each. One suspect, Elias Herrera, was also charged with a violation of probation for possession of cocaine and is being held without bond.
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