Lee County Sheriff's Office gets $9.9M for immigration enforcement upgrades

LEE COUNTY, Fla. — The Lee County Sheriff's Office has been awarded nearly $10 million to bolster its immigration enforcement efforts.

The State Board of Immigration Enforcement, led by the governor, awarded the grant to the Lee County Sheriff's Office to purchase new technology, including license plate readers and surveillance towers.

State data shows the Lee County Sheriff's Office has had more immigration enforcement encounters than any other local agency in the state, with more than 1,100 people stopped and nearly 300 arrested.

The sheriff's office said in a statement to FOX 4:

"Strategic investments in these areas would strengthen our ability to serve the community effectively and ensure our deputies are equipped with the best tools necessary to meet evolving public safety needs."

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