Over eight months in 2025, Florida turned routine traffic stops and local police encounters into a state-federal immigration enforcement operation. By early January 2026, officials reported more than 10,400 arrests of people described as “illegal immigrants,” marking what Governor Ron DeSantis called “the largest joint immigration enforcement operation in ICE’s history.”
The campaign, framed as a public-safety effort, drew praise from supporters but sparked criticism over the role of local police in federal immigration work. Here’s what’s happening as the state navigates this unprecedented enforcement surge.
Foundations of Florida’s Enforcement Strategy
Florida’s campaign did not emerge overnight. By early 2025, the state had signed 325 active 287(g) agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), creating the largest network of its kind nationwide. These agreements allow local and state officers, under ICE supervision, to perform federal immigration functions, effectively turning much of Florida into an enforcement zone.
More than 75 percent of law enforcement agencies in the state joined these programs, far ahead of the next state, Wyoming, at 11 percent. State leaders said the effort addressed rising detention populations and increasing numbers of people flagged for removal far from the southern border. Governor DeSantis had already pushed laws limiting sanctuary policies and expanding detention, a move critics said funneled more people into custody, while supporters argued it filled gaps left by federal capacity.
Pressure Mounts on Detention Facilities
By mid-2025, ICE held more than 56,000 people nationwide daily, roughly 40 percent more than a year earlier. Florida’s facilities faced particular strain as new federal laws broadened mandatory detention. Human Rights Watch reported overcrowding, cold cells, delayed medical care, and pressure on detainees to sign removal waivers they did not fully understand.
This growing pressure coincided with the launch of Operation Tidal Wave in April 2025. Florida and ICE called it a statewide enforcement surge, targeting people described by officials as “illegal aliens,” particularly those with prior deportation orders or criminal histories. Conditions in local detention centers intensified as the campaign funneled more people into an already overstretched system.
Operation Tidal Wave’s Sweep Across Florida
Operation Tidal Wave spread across all 67 counties over eight months, involving state troopers, sheriff’s offices, and multiple federal agencies, including the FBI, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. On January 6, 2026, DeSantis said the operation had arrested over 10,400 people, 63 percent of whom had prior criminal convictions. He added the effort aimed “to remove them from our state and country.”
Officials highlighted arrests of gang members or violent offenders tied to MS-13, Tren de Aragua, 18th Street Gang, and other organizations. Florida reported that most arrested came from Guatemala (3,435), Mexico (3,331), Honduras (1,353), El Salvador (312), Venezuela (312), and other countries (1,249). A sub-operation, “Operation Dirtbag,” led to 230 criminal noncitizen arrests, including more than 150 described as sex offenders.
Everyday Life Amid Enforcement Waves
For many immigrants, the campaign created daily uncertainty. Large arrest waves in cities like Jacksonville left residents hesitant to leave home or attend immigration appointments, even for lawful cases. Advocates warned that people with legal status could be detained if encountered alongside someone with a deportation order, blurring enforcement boundaries.
At the same time, officials emphasized public-safety goals. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said many arrested individuals were attempting to prey on children, framing the crackdown as protective. State data show immigration arrests jumped from an average of 20 per day in 2024 to 64 per day by mid-2025, more than tripling the prior year’s pace, highlighting how routine policing was increasingly repurposed for immigration enforcement.
Florida as a National Model—and Controversy
Florida’s enforcement push was closely tied to expanded detention infrastructure and federal funding. The Everglades facility, nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz,” added 3,000 beds at a cost of $218 million, with an annual operating budget of $450 million, or $245 per bed per day. Federal reimbursements totaled $608 million, with additional grants of $28 million for equipment and transportation. State funds added another $250 million.
Critics highlighted overcrowding and degrading conditions, while ICE leaders praised Operation Tidal Wave as a “model” for other states. With more than 10,400 arrests and DeSantis stating “this is just the beginning,” Florida’s approach has drawn national attention as a potential blueprint for joint state-federal enforcement, though human rights groups warn of entrenched mass detention and erosion of community trust.
Conclusion: A Turning Point for Policing and Immigration
Florida’s sweeping enforcement campaign has transformed local policing, detention practices, and the state’s role in federal immigration efforts. The surge of arrests, expanded detention facilities, and extensive state-federal cooperation illustrate a significant shift in how immigration law is applied beyond border regions. For supporters, the operation is a public-safety success; for critics, it raises serious questions about due process and community trust.
As lawsuits, human rights reports, and political debates unfold, other states are watching closely. Whether Florida remains an outlier or becomes a model for broader enforcement remains uncertain, but the state’s approach has already reshaped the conversation around policing, immigration, and the balance of state and federal responsibilities.
Sources:
CBS12 via MSN, 5 Jan 2026
Fox News, 4 Jan 2026
Governor’s Office of Ron DeSantis, 6 Jan 2026
ICE – 287(g) Program Overview, accessed 2025
Human Rights Watch, 21 Jul 2025
CBS News, 4 Aug 2025