The Florida Supreme Court has approved extending until April the term of a statewide grand jury investigating immigration-related issues.
The court issued an order Tuesday granting the extension, which Statewide Prosecutor Nicholas Cox’s office sought on July 18.
The Supreme Court last year approved a request by Gov. Ron DeSantis to impanel the grand jury. The request for an extension said the grand jury had been scheduled to end on Nov. 1.
But the extension will allow it to continue operating until April 1.
“Despite its diligent efforts, including the issuance of three interim reports, the statewide grand jury has not completed its investigation in the time allotted,” the statewide prosecutor’s request said. “A significant amount of work remains that may not be completed before the expiration of the term. An extension of the term is necessary to ensure completion of the statewide grand jury’s work.”
DeSantis has made a high-profile issue of cracking down on illegal immigration. As an example of the grand jury’s work, it called in December for the Legislature to expand a law targeting people who smuggle undocumented immigrants into the state.
Lawmakers and DeSantis this spring approved a controversial measure that makes it a felony to transport into the state people who enter the country illegally.
