TALLAHASSEE, FL – Governor Ron DeSantis announced that Florida has achieved a historic milestone in immigration enforcement, leading the nation with the most extensive federal-state cooperation under the 287(g) program with the Department of Homeland Security.
The governor credited Operation Tidal Wave—a sweeping, statewide enforcement effort—for more than 10,400 arrests since its launch eight months ago, calling it the largest joint operation in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) history.
The 287(g) program allows state and local law enforcement agencies to collaborate directly with federal immigration authorities, identifying and detaining individuals in the country illegally who are accused or convicted of crimes. Florida now has participation agreements in all 67 counties, a distinction no other state currently holds.
“Florida will not be a safe haven for criminal activity,” DeSantis said in a statement. “We are proud to lead the nation in protecting our communities by ensuring that dangerous individuals here illegally are identified, detained, and removed. This operation demonstrates what happens when state and federal partners work together with resolve and purpose.”
According to data released by the governor’s office, more than 63 percent of those arrested under Operation Tidal Wave had prior criminal arrests or convictions, including violent crimes, gang activity, and offenses involving public safety threats. The operation also expanded detention capacity through “Alligator Alcatraz,” a state-managed facility that has housed more than 1,900 detainees since July 2025.
State officials say the operation has not only disrupted criminal networks but also set a national standard for coordination, information-sharing, and rapid enforcement between state and federal agencies. Florida’s aggressive approach has been widely viewed as a model for other states seeking to bolster local immigration enforcement amid ongoing national debate over border and public safety policy.
