by ORLANDO, FL – Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced Friday that state law enforcement officers have apprehended nearly 3,000 illegal immigrants, 500 of whom have criminal records, as part of the state’s increasingly aggressive immigration enforcement efforts.
“Alligator Alcatraz” Processing Center Draws Attention
DeSantis, speaking at a press conference in Orlando, said that 600 individuals have been processed through the controversial detention facility nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz”, located in the Everglades at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport. The site, capable of housing up to 1,000 detainees, has come under fire from Democrats, who cite concerns over potential human rights violations.
New Immigration Units and Border Checkpoints
In a further escalation of the state’s immigration policy, the Florida Highway Patrol will soon establish a new immigration enforcement division within the Bureau of Criminal Investigations.
Additionally, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Wilton Simpson announced the construction of a new interdiction station on U.S. 231 near the Alabama-Florida border, aimed at increasing the state’s ability to intercept unauthorized entrants.
State Officers Deputized Under Federal Authority
As of Friday, 1,800 Florida Highway Patrol officers have completed training and received credentials to operate as immigration officers under the 287(g) agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Another 100 troopers have been deputized as U.S. Marshals, giving them authority to carry out federal search warrants.
DeSantis also revealed plans to consider Camp Blanding, the Florida National Guard’s training facility, as an additional detention site for those found to be in the country illegally.
Operation Tidal Wave
The governor pointed to Operation Tidal Wave — a multi-agency operation conducted in April 2025 — as a milestone in enforcement success. That initiative led to the arrest of 1,120 individuals, the largest single-state enforcement action in ICE’s history.
DeSantis emphasized that all 67 Florida county sheriffs’ offices are now participating in the 287(g) program, authorized under the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1996. The program allows state and local officers to perform federal immigration functions under ICE supervision, including questioning suspects about immigration status and detaining violators.
DeSantis: Florida Leading the Nation
“There’s no other state in the country that can match our efforts,” DeSantis said. “In fact, there’s no other state that is even in the ballpark. We’re showing that it can be done — and Florida is leading the way.”
He described the state’s strategy as a mandate from the American people following the 2024 election, urging other states to join in rather than “sit on our hands and watch the problems not get solved.”
As Florida ramps up its enforcement initiatives, national attention continues to focus on the state’s role in shaping the future of immigration policy at the state level.
