Byron Donalds isn't wasting any time drawing battle lines in the Florida governor's race.
The Trump-backed Congressman just showed up at a potential ICE facility site in Orlando to make his position crystal clear.
And Byron Donalds just threw down the gauntlet on this Orlando fight that has Jerry Demings scrambling.
Trump's Top Pick Plants His Flag On Immigration
Byron Donalds stood outside the proposed ICE detention facility in Orlando last week and delivered a message Democrat Mayor Jerry Demings couldn't ignore.
The Naples Congressman leads the GOP gubernatorial primary by 58 points with Trump's endorsement.
"Behind us is a potential ICE facility to house criminal illegal aliens to be deported," Donalds said. "We're going to follow the Constitution. We're gonna make sure our nation is secured and Florida will always back the blue and uphold law and order."
He slammed Demings and former Congressman David Jolly for fighting to block the facility.
"Jerry Demings & David Jolly are fighting to block this facility—we're not going to let that happen," Donalds wrote. "They do not want us to follow federal law. They do not want us to follow the Constitution."
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The Congressman pledged to work hand-in-hand with President Trump on deportations if elected governor.
"I promise you as Florida's next governor, we're gonna support President Trump," Donalds stated.
This marks a direct challenge to Demings, who's running in the Democrat primary for governor.
Demings Already Caved Once Under Pressure
Demings has a history of flip-flopping on ICE cooperation when the heat gets turned up.
Last August, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier threatened to have Governor Ron DeSantis remove Demings and all six Orange County commissioners from office for refusing to cooperate with ICE.
Demings folded in 48 hours.
"Yes, I signed the damn thing because we really had to," Demings admitted at a press conference. "I can't let our entire Board of County Commissioners and myself be removed from office."
The Orange County Mayor claimed he signed "under protest and extreme duress" — but he still signed.
The addendum gave county deputies "the power and authority to detain and transport arrested aliens to an ICE-approved facility."
Demings had spent months fighting the agreement.
Then the 37-year-old Attorney General called his bluff and Demings surrendered.
Now Demings is back opposing the new ICE detention facility in Orlando.
Orange County has housed more than 5,000 ICE detainees since April 2025.
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The county loses money on each one — ICE reimburses $88 per day while the actual cost runs around $180 per inmate.
Here's what Demings doesn't want to admit: the Constitution doesn't give mayors veto power over federal immigration law.
The Founders put immigration and naturalization in the hands of the federal government — not Orange County.
Demings can complain all he wants, but he can't just ignore laws he doesn't like.
Democrats Coordinating Nationwide Obstruction
Donalds isn't just fighting Demings — he's taking on a coordinated Democrat strategy to obstruct Trump's deportation agenda.
During an interview on Florida's Voice Radio, Donalds called out the organized chaos happening in Democrat-run states.
"This chaos always happens when Republicans are in charge," Donalds explained. "Then the Democrats bring out their front groups, with their agitating tactics."
He specifically targeted Minnesota Governor Tim Walz — Kamala Harris's 2024 running mate — and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for blocking ICE operations.
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Donalds called Frey "a clown and a leftist."
"Governors do not have the legal authority to oppose federal immigration officers when they are upholding the law," Donalds said.
"They don't have that authority because the Constitution is very clear: Immigration and Naturalization are enumerated powers granted to the federal government."
Two U.S. citizens were killed by federal agents during immigration operations in Minneapolis this January.
Democrats seized on the deaths to demand ICE reforms and threaten government shutdown over DHS funding.
Senate Democrats blocked funding legislation last week, demanding restrictions on ICE enforcement.
But Donalds pointed out that Barack Obama deported millions without this kind of resistance.
"Barack Obama was talking about how it was appropriate to follow the law and deport illegal aliens," Donalds said.
"That wasn't me 15 years ago saying it — that was Barack Obama saying it. He sounded like a moderate Republican 15 years ago."
Obama deported 2.9 million illegal aliens during his presidency without Democrat mayors staging revolts.
The difference isn't the policy — it's who's implementing it.
"This is not your grandfather's Democrat Party anymore," Donalds stated. "This is a left-wing Democrat socialist of America party led by Bernie Sanders and AOC and Zohran Mamdani."
New York Governor Kathy Hochul just introduced legislation to ban local police cooperation with ICE.
She called ICE a "rogue federal agency that's been unleashed on the American streets for the sole purpose of creating chaos, carnage and fear."
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The Trump administration fired back that New York's failure to honor ICE detainers resulted in releasing 6,947 criminal illegal aliens.
Those criminals committed 29 homicides, 2,509 assaults, and 207 sexual offenses.
Democrats are putting sanctuary city politics ahead of public safety.
Donalds Wants Senate Filibuster Gone
Donalds also called for eliminating the Senate filibuster to force Democrats to defend their obstruction publicly.
"Where we are is where we always end up with great policy that comes out of the House," Donalds said.
"It dies in the Senate because of the Senate filibuster."
He pointed to the SAVE Act — legislation requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration — as an example of good policy killed by Senate Democrats.
"The Senate filibuster needs to go away," Donalds stated. "If you want to oppose a measure, go to the floor of the Senate and debate why you oppose it."
The Orlando ICE facility fight previews the 2026 governor's race.
Florida voters will decide between Donalds' America First approach and Demings' sanctuary city resistance.
With Trump's endorsement and a commanding lead in polls, Donalds is already acting like he's won.
Sources:
- Frank Kopylov, "Byron Donalds vows to champion new ICE facility in Orlando, slams opponents for blocking deportations," Florida's Voice, January 29, 2026.
- Frank Kopylov, "Rep. Byron Donalds blasts Democrats on immigration, calls for end to Senate filibuster," Florida's Voice, January 30, 2026.
- Spectrum News Staff, "Full Episode: Orlando may host new ICE facility, and federal lawmakers reach deal to avoid shutdown," Spectrum News, January 29, 2026.
- "Orange County deputies will 'detain and transport arrested aliens' for ICE," Spectrum News, August 1, 2025.
- "Under duress, Orange County mayor signs ICE addendum to ward off threat of removal from office," Florida Phoenix, August 1, 2025.
- "Immigration advocates ask county leaders to clarify their role on ICE agreement," Spectrum News, January 14, 2026.
- "N.Y. Gov. Kathy Hochul blasts ICE in push to ban local police cooperation," CBS New York, January 30, 2026.
