Defiant Donna Deegan says staffer’s ICE warning broke social media policy, but was legal

A city of Jacksonville employee who advised illegal immigrants on how to deal with immigration policing “targeting” them didn’t break the law according to Mayor Donna Deegan.

But Yanira Cardona did break social media policy, Deegan told media on Thursday, and that’s why the city’s Hispanic Outreach Coordinator was put on administrative leave.

“We’ve got a mayor, who is the spokesperson for the city, and we have people who follow policy that if you are going to create any sort of social media content, if you are going to make any sort of commentary, especially in this office, that would be construed as coming from the mayor, that has to come through me or through our communications office. Period. And that is a concept that some people in this office have struggled with, and she has struggled with, unfortunately, repeatedly. And at some point, if you have a policy that is not followed, it doesn’t really continue to be a policy. And if you don’t make some sort of  consequence to that. then I think people aren’t going to take it seriously,” Deegan said.

Deegan said General Counsel Michael Fackler said Cardona’s comments, put on Instagram during business hours and apparently broadcast live from City Hall Wednesday, were legal. That runs counter to the interpretation by Attorney General James Uthmeier , who said “this is illegal and needs to be seriously addressed!”

Deegan said Cardona’s comments were legal and questioned whether Uthmeier even watched the video.

“ICE is out and about,” she said. “They are doing speed traps. They are, they’ve been seen on Emerson, on Beach Boulevard, on Atlantic and on the highway. They are targeting, literally, they’re targeting any lawn care companies, any AC company construction vans. They’re literally stopping them just to make sure that they have their paperwork.”

Cardona arguably politicked during her message, saying “as much as we want to get up and fight, guys, as much as we want to, believe me, it’s not the right way right now.

“We have to listen, we have to comply, get the plan in place. Voting pretty soon on med elections. We’re gonna get to vote on mid-elections pretty soon,” she said Wednesday.

Deegan said Cardona was speaking out of “compassion” to address “an immigrant population that is hurting” because of immigration enforcement,” and expressed frustration that she had to respond with an “inordinate amount of energy” and provide “grist for the political mill” because Cardona’s comments were used as a “political whipping post.”

“I’m not the one that made the action public,” Deegan said. “It was made public by other people.”

Deegan did not commit to retaining or firing Cardona, saying she needed to “follow policies” but she would “hate to lose her.”