TALLAHASSEE — State law enforcement officers have arrested more than 10,400 people in the country illegally as part of a sweeping immigration enforcement effort called Operation Tidal Wave. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis describes it as the largest partnership in the history of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The Republican governor made the announcement at a news conference alongside ICE Deputy Director Madison D. Sheahan. They highlighted the operation’s focus on removing people with criminal records from communities across the state. According to DeSantis, 63% of those arrested had prior criminal histories, and the effort has involved cooperation between local agencies and federal authorities under the 287(g) program, which allows trained state and local officers to perform certain immigration enforcement duties.
“In April 2025, Florida partnered with federal law enforcement in the largest joint immigration enforcement operation in ICE’s history: Operation Tidal Wave,” DeSantis posted on X following the event. “Today, I was proud to announce a new milestone in our joint efforts to combat illegal immigration and restore order in our communities: Florida law enforcement have arrested more than 10,400 illegal immigrants across the state.”
The countries of origin of those arrested:
- 3,435 – Guatemala
- 3,331 – Mexico
- 1,353 – Honduras
- 312 – El Salvador
- 312 – Venezuela
- 1,249 – Other countries
Operation Tidal Wave was launched eight months ago and spanned across 13 counties, including Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Brevard, Clay, Hernando, Hillsborough, Indian River, Orange, Pinellas, St. Johns, Sumter, and Volusia.
Florida Department of Law Enforcement data shows 40 immigration encounters in Indian River County tied to enforcement efforts under Operation Tidal Wave from August 1, 2025, to January 6, 2026. This includes:
- 14 by the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office
- 24 by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
- 1 by the Department of Financial Services Criminal Investigations Division
The initiative has been bolstered by federal funding, with Florida receiving $28 million as a component of a larger $1.7 billion national funding allocation under legislation signed by President Donald Trump. That includes $2.7 million for transportation support to local agencies, $7.3 million for equipment benefiting 974 local officers, $1 million for state-level transportation, and $27.5 million for gear supporting 3,676 state officers.
DeSantis, who has made cracking down on illegal immigration a signature of his administration, previously warned during a September event with ICE officials that Florida would not tolerate disruptions to enforcement efforts. “Florida is not Portland,” he said at the time. “If you think you can go and launch attacks against ICE agents in this state, you’ve got another thing coming. We will hold you accountable very swiftly and very severely.”
Critics of the operation, including immigrant advocacy groups, have raised worries regarding possible profiling and the impact on families, but DeSantis defended the program as essential for public safety.
The announcement comes amid ongoing national debates over immigration policy, with Florida presenting itself as a model of state-federal collaboration in enforcement.
