Key facts
- Florida has experienced a surge in immigration arrests, with state and local agencies playing a leading role.
- Nearly 39,000 immigrants were arrested in Florida between January 20, 2025, and March 11, 2026.
- This represents more than a threefold increase compared to the 11,088 arrests in the prior 416 days.
- 347 state and local agencies in Florida have signed agreements to participate in immigration enforcement.
- These agreements, known as 287(g), grant immigration enforcement powers to local law enforcement.
Immigration arrests have significantly increased in Florida, with state and local agencies, including the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Florida Lottery, playing a prominent role. This surge, largely occurring under President Donald Trump's second term, saw nearly 39,000 arrests between January 2025 and March 2026, more than triple the number from the preceding period.
Governor Ron DeSantis has promoted Florida's collaboration with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) through 287(g) agreements, which empower state and local law enforcement to detain immigrants for potential deportation. Immigration attorneys report that these detentions often stem from routine traffic stops used as pretexts. For instance, a Guatemalan couple was stopped in Bonita Springs, and the husband was arrested on a fabricated charge before being handed over to ICE.
In another case, Lee County sheriff's deputies detained a father and son near Fort Myers, who were later deported despite having pending immigration cases. The father's wife stated that her husband missed a court hearing due to travel costs, and her son was seeking asylum with a work permit. DHS, however, maintains the individuals had prior removal orders. Both the Fish and Wildlife Commission and the Lee County Sheriff's Office refused to release arrest reports and body camera footage, citing ICE directives.