OCHOPEE—Despite the rocky, "work-in-progress" relationship between Gov. Ron DeSantis and his potential successor, Rep. Byron Donalds, the top Republicans are both demanding the Key West City Commission bend the knee.
Their comments to The Floridian came at the grand opening of Alligator Alcatraz, the state's new migrant detention facility, a day after Key West commissioners voted to end a state-required partnership with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
"You can virtue signal and try to make political statements, but the reality is, local governments have to abide by Florida law," DeSantis said. He noted that the first steps to overturn the Key West decision will be warnings from Attorney General James Uthmeier.
If those are ignored, DeSantis may move for removal.
"Could it come to the point where commissioners could get suspended? The law does provide me that as one of many recourses," he added.
Donalds, currently the frontrunner for the 2026 gubernatorial race, agreed.
"That's against Florida law," he said, hours before President Donald Trump arrived to laud the detention center. "The Florida law is clear that this is not up for debate with local jurisdictions, so the city of Key West might need to have an emergency meeting and revisit that."
Key West voted 6 to 1 earlier this week to end its ICE partnership, called a 287(g) agreement. But state officials say this runs afoul of a law banning sanctuary cities and another, new law requiring counties to align with federal immigration authorities.
Donalds and DeSantis, both Republicans, have had a tense relationship since Trump endorsed the congressman to become the next governor. DeSantis wanted the president to support First Lady Casey DeSantis for the role instead, but Trump—who has also clashed with DeSantis—refused.
But now, Donalds' relationship with DeSantis is "fine" and a "work in progress," he said Tuesday.
Alligator Alcatraz is a sprawling migrant detention facility in the middle of the Everglades. Able to hold up to 5,000 migrants and surrounded by 28,000 feet of razor wire, Trump flew on Air Force One to celebrate the center's grand opening.
He lauded the facility at a Tuesday roundtable surrounded by DeSantis, Donalds, Uthmeier, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Todd Lyons, and Trump's Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller.
