In a significant enforcement action in Florida, a sweeping operation led to the arrest of a record 1,120 individuals accused of being in the U.S. without legal authorization. The operation, which took place over less than a week, was a combined effort involving federal, state, and local agencies. The success of this large-scale operation was highlighted at a press conference attended by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and officials from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Governor DeSantis emphasized that this operation marks the beginning of broader enforcement efforts to bolster the deportation drive championed by President Donald Trump.
Under specific agreements, local police have been given the authority to carry out immigration arrests. As of December, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had secured 135 agreements across 21 states. This number has now increased to 517 agreements in 39 states, with 74 additional agencies pending approval. This increased collaboration is part of the Trump administration’s strategy to enforce immigration laws more rigorously, targeting jurisdictions that resist assisting immigration authorities. An executive order issued by the president calls for the publication of a list of “sanctuary” areas, threatening legal action against officials who block federal policies.
Critics argue that involving local officials in immigration enforcement violates the Constitution, which designates immigration as a federal responsibility. These critics, including immigration attorney Katie Blankenship, contend that local law enforcement officers lack the training to handle immigration issues fairly and properly. ICE, with its approximately 6,000 officers, requires additional support to meet the administration’s goal of deporting a sizable portion of the estimated 11 million undocumented individuals residing in the United States.
Texas, led by Governor Greg Abbott—an ally of Trump on immigration matters—has 76 enforcement agreements, the second-highest of any state. These agreements include partnerships with the state’s National Guard and U.S. Customs and Border Protection for operations at the border. Georgia and North Carolina have also aligned with Trump’s deportation initiatives. However, Florida has shown the most extensive cooperation, with agencies from all 67 counties participating, including some like the Florida Department of Lottery Services, which traditionally have little connection to immigration enforcement.
No new agreements were finalized under President Biden’s administration. Many of the current agreements employ a “task force model,” where officers arrest immigrants on the streets or in communities, as opposed to only taking custody of individuals already jailed—a practice phased out during the Obama administration due to racial profiling concerns.
During the press briefing, officials provided limited details about those arrested in “Operation Tidal Wave,” claimed by ICE to be the largest of its kind in U.S. history since the agency’s inception in 2003. Madison Sheahan, ICE deputy director, reiterated the agency’s commitment to apprehending ‘criminal, illegal aliens.’ According to federal officials, the arrestees included individuals with removal orders, criminal convictions, gang affiliations, and other offenses, originating largely from Guatemala and Mexico. However, the Florida Immigrant Coalition criticized the operation, arguing that many detainees had not committed public crimes and claiming due process was ignored.
Local agencies await federal training to support future operations. In the latest series of arrests, Florida Highway Patrol deployed about 80 state troopers across several major cities, including Jacksonville and Miami-Dade County, targeting people during routine traffic stops and their daily routines. Advocacy groups report that many arrests were conducted by local and state police rather than ICE, including individuals with no criminal records, some of whom were seeking asylum or had work permits.
One incident involved a young Guatemalan woman, known as Chica, whose partner Fernando was detained en route to his construction job. Fernando, possessing a pending asylum application and a work permit, was taken into custody alongside three others after their vehicle was stopped for a routine check. Despite having done nothing criminal, Fernando was detained due to the driver’s lack of a driver’s license. Chica, now left to care for their infant alone, contemplates returning to Guatemala in fear of Fernando’s deportation.