Florida Governor Announces More Than 10,000 Arrests Under Operation Tidal Wave
What to Know
- Over 10,000 arrests have been made in Florida as part of 'Operation Tidal Wave,' targeting illegal immigrants with criminal records.
- The initiative involves collaboration between state, local, and federal agencies, including DHS and immigration judges stationed in Florida facilities.
- Facilities like Baker Correctional Institution have been converted into detention centers, dubbed the 'Deportation Depot,' to facilitate removals.
SANDERSON, Florida -- Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said more than 10,000 people have been arrested statewide as part of “Operation Tidal Wave,” a joint immigration enforcement initiative between Florida and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
DeSantis made the announcement Monday during a news conference at Baker Correctional Institution in Sanderson, a facility the state has repurposed as an immigration detention center and refers to as the “Deportation Depot," according to WKMG-TV.
According to DeSantis, Florida joined DHS in April 2025 to launch the operation, which relies on state and local law enforcement agencies to support federal immigration enforcement. He said 63% of those arrested had prior criminal arrests or convictions, including individuals accused or convicted of violent crimes and sex offenses.
“Although you don’t have to have committed a crime to be subject to immigration enforcement if you’ve come illegally, that is the offense,” DeSantis said.
The governor pointed to legislation passed last year requiring state and local law enforcement agencies to participate in immigration enforcement efforts and to enter into 287(g) agreements with DHS, allowing designated officers to perform certain federal immigration functions.
DeSantis also discussed the state’s detention and deportation infrastructure, including facilities in Sanderson and South Florida. In August, the administration announced the closed Baker Correctional Institution would be converted into an immigration detention center to support removal operations.
In addition to arrests, DeSantis highlighted Florida’s voluntary return program, which he said has been used by approximately 1,000 individuals who received plane tickets to return to their home countries. He also said deportation flights from the South Florida facility known as “Alligator Alcatraz” have been operating since July.
“The tempo has picked up,” DeSantis said, adding that the federal government has stationed immigration judges at both the Baker facility and the South Florida detention center to accelerate case processing.
State officials attending the event included Attorney General James Uthmeier, Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia, Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, State Board of Immigration Enforcement Executive Director Anthony Coker, Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Executive Director Dave Kerner, Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie, and Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass.