In a new immigration initiative, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced Monday that state troopers now have the authority to detain undocumented immigrants independently of federal agencies.
Standing beside Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) officers and federal agents in Tampa, DeSantis revealed that over 100 troopers had been sworn in as special deputy U.S. marshals, granting them expanded powers to carry out immigration enforcement without relying on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
“What we have now with FHP is that they are able to conduct immigration operations wholly independent of the federal government. No other state is doing this,” DeSantis said. “These troopers can now do everything an immigration officer would do, up until the point where the individual is processed for removal.”
Previously, FHP troopers encountering undocumented individuals with criminal records had limited options: either contact ICE and wait—often to no avail—or release the individual. The new authority allows troopers to handle such cases on the spot, from apprehension to processing for deportation.
“When Biden was president, these guys pulled over an illegal driving drunk. They could call ICE, and ICE may want to come take them,” DeSantis said. “How many times do you think ICE wanted to come when Biden was president? Not very often.”
The move is the latest in Florida’s escalating immigration crackdown, which earlier this year saw law enforcement agencies in all 67 counties, including FHP, sign 287(g) agreements with ICE. These agreements permit state officers to assist federal agents in enforcing immigration laws, and, according to DeSantis, now account for more than half of such partnerships nationwide.
The governor pointed to the results of that collaboration, saying the state’s largest immigration crackdown has already led to over 1,100 arrests, including alleged members of violent international gangs such as MS-13 and Tren de Aragua.
DeSantis also cited personal stories from families affected by undocumented drivers, saying he has met with “Angel Moms”—parents who lost children in vehicle crashes caused by undocumented individuals.
“So many of these drivers had multiple infractions—drunk driving, reckless driving—and if we’d had these policies in place, some of these tragedies could have been avoided,” he said.
DeSantis said the new enforcement capability targets illegal immigration while also easing the burden on Florida’s communities, schools, healthcare systems, and law enforcement. He said it is intended to deter individuals from entering the state illegally.
