FLORIDA (Boca Post) (Copyright © 2026) — Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Monday that Operation Tidal Wave, a Florida-federal immigration enforcement partnership, has produced more than 10,000 arrests statewide since it launched eight months ago.
DeSantis said Florida law enforcement agencies have arrested “more than 10,400 illegal aliens” and worked with federal partners to remove them from Florida and the U.S. He called it “the largest joint immigration enforcement operation in ICE’s history,” and said it will continue in Florida.
The operation is built around 287(g) agreements, which allow state agencies to work directly with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and carry out certain immigration enforcement functions that have typically been handled at the federal level. The release said state officers have been able to identify, detain, and process people in the country illegally since the program began in April 2025, including individuals under final deportation orders and those with serious criminal convictions.
Attorney General James Uthmeier, in a separate statement, said many of the people arrested “were trying to prey on our children,” and said statewide prosecutors will pursue “serious time behind bars” before those arrested are removed from the country. He credited what he called a strong partnership between Florida and federal law enforcement.
Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia tied the effort to broader national politics, saying illegal immigration has affected the country for decades and arguing that the combined leadership of DeSantis and President Donald Trump is producing “serious steps” to address it. Ingoglia said “criminal illegal aliens” should “think twice” about coming to Florida, adding that if they are caught in the state, “they will be sent back home.”
Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson described Operation Tidal Wave as a public-safety milestone and pointed to what he called Florida’s “first-in-the-nation 287(g) partnerships.” Simpson said the goal is to ensure people in the country illegally — “especially those with serious criminal convictions” — are identified, detained, and processed. He also credited Trump and DeSantis for what he called a commitment to enforcing immigration laws and supporting states that “step up.”
The operation includes a long list of law enforcement partners. According to the state announcement, ICE leveraged field office assets with federal partners to identify and target priority enforcement cases. Those partners included ICE Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the FBI, the DEA, the ATF, and the U.S. Marshals Service. Florida, the release said, provided operational support through multiple state agencies, and federal, state, and local agencies coordinated across Florida during the effort.
Florida Division of Emergency Management Executive Director Kevin Guthrie said the milestone shows what can happen when agencies combine “resources, authorities, and expertise,” calling the effort a framework that other states could replicate. Florida Highway Patrol Executive Director Dave Kerner said FHP will continue supporting the operation as a “force multiplier,” focused on coordination and effectiveness.
FDLE Commissioner Mark Glass said the 287(g) program improves the state’s ability to identify and address threats, and that FDLE remains committed to supporting the operations. Anthony Coker, identified as the Florida State Board of Immigration Enforcement Director, called Florida a “law-and-order state” and said Florida “will never apologize” for actions meant to keep residents safe.
The state announcement also listed the countries of origin for those arrested. It said 3,435 were from Guatemala, 3,331 from Mexico, 1,353 from Honduras, 312 from El Salvador, 312 from Venezuela, and 1,249 from elsewhere.
The release named a group of county sheriff’s offices that it said played a critical role supporting ICE operations: Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Brevard, Clay, Hernando, Hillsborough, Indian River, Orange, Pinellas, St. Johns, Sumter, and Volusia counties.
The state encouraged the public to report crimes and suspicious activity by calling 1-866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or using ICE’s online tip form. It also directed readers to follow the Florida Division of Emergency Management on X at @FLSERT for updates.
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