A week-long immigration enforcement operation in Florida concluded with the arrest of 1,120 immigrants, marking a record for arrests in a single-state sweep in the history of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), local and federal authorities announced Thursday.
- A week-long immigration enforcement operation in Florida concluded with the arrest of 1,120 immigrants, marking a record for arrests in a single-state sweep in the history of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), local and federal authorities announced Thursday.
- 63% of those arrested had prior criminal records or convictions.
- He also denied that U.S. citizens are being deported.
The arrests, which took place between April 21 and 26, resulted from collaboration between ICE and personnel from at least seven Florida local agencies, with additional support from DEA, FBI, and ATF agents, among others.
According to ICE data, 437 of the immigrants detained in the operation dubbed ‘Black Tide’ are from Guatemala, 280 from Mexico, 153 from Honduras, 48 from Venezuela, 24 from El Salvador, and 178 from other countries.
63% of those arrested had prior criminal records or convictions.
ICE Deputy Director Madison Sheahan highlighted in a press conference that the operation’s results mark the highest number of arrests in a single state in one week in ICE’s history.
Sheahan thanked the collaboration of Florida’s various state agencies in carrying out the operation, which she hopes will become “a model” for other states to more actively collaborate with ICE enforcement efforts.
For his part, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican, said he has “insisted” that his state lead the way in supporting federal immigration law enforcement.
“The success of Operation Black Tide is proof of our commitment,” the Florida governor emphasized, adding that the state is “ready, willing, and able to take it to the next level.”
The Republican said he wants to expand Florida’s role beyond immigrant arrests and has proposed to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) granting state personnel the authority to expedite deportations by using National Guard members as immigration judges.
“If approved, we will jump into action. And we will be able to cover all aspects, from apprehension to detention, even designating some of our National Guard members to act as immigration judges and process this. We can do it,” DeSantis stated.
When questioned about due process for immigrants, the Republican dismissed concerns, asserting that tens of thousands of immigrants in Florida have already received final deportation orders and therefore do not need a hearing.
He also denied that U.S. citizens are being deported.
Last February, DeSantis signed two sweeping laws that toughen conditions for undocumented immigrants and facilitate the enforcement of former President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda in the state.
The initiatives establish harsher penalties for undocumented immigrants who commit crimes, stricter law enforcement requirements for local officials, and changes to the state’s controversial migrant transportation program.
Florida has given its police the power to question residents’ legal status. However, this measure has drawn criticism for the potential racial profiling it may generate.
An example of this was the arrest last month of 20-year-old Juan Carlos López Gómez, a U.S. citizen who was detained by a Florida Highway Patrol officer on suspicion of being undocumented.
The young man was arrested while traveling as a passenger in a vehicle entering the state from Georgia.
López Gómez had to appear before a judge and was not released until his mother presented his birth certificate.
