Eight people were arrested on state charges, while at least two dozen were detained and taken into custody by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement “for further investigation” in Indian River County, Florida.
The Florida Highway Patrol worked with federal immigration agents in Jefferson County to apprehend 12 people suspected of being in the country illegally.
The arrests and detentions are part of a nationwide campaign to round up those living unlawfully in the United States.
How many arrests have ICE made so far?
“One of the criminal detainees in ICE custody has been deported four times,” the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office posted on Facebook.
“Another had previous charges for sex offences, one was out of jail on bond, and yet another had charges for the criminal use of personal identification information.”
12 ‘illegally residing’ part of Jefferson County raid in Florida
The Florida Highway Patrol helped in a Jefferson County raid led by the United States Department of Homeland Security, which resulted in the detention of 12 people who were “believed to be illegally residing in the State of Florida.”
“FHP is equipped and working hard to enforce illegal immigration laws in Florida,” the department stated in a post on X that included photographs of the arrests with pixelated faces.
“We are ready and willing to follow the governor’s lead and work with federal partners to execute the Trump illegal immigration mandate!”
Undocumented Chinese nationals detained in Coral Cables
Over 20 undocumented Chinese nationals were seized in South Florida by FLDE agents and Coral Gables Police Department officers, according to DeSantis. A citizen tip led investigators to vehicles suspected of carrying criminal immigrants.
“Under Governor DeSantis’ leadership and his “Operation Vigilant Sentry” Executive Order, FDLE has been actively coordinating Florida’s law enforcement response to the flow of criminal aliens into our state, said FDLE Commissioner Mark Glass.
The “interception” of the Chinese national Tuesday, Jan. 28, came “just 11 days after more than 20 criminal aliens were detained in Coral Gables, three of which currently face human smuggling charges,” Glass said.
FDLE: ICE released 315 ‘criminal aliens into Florida after their ICE detainers expired’
“In 2024, the Biden administration allowed 315 illegal aliens, almost all of whom were violent offenders, to be released back onto the streets of Florida (and that’s only the ones that Biden’s ICE reported to us),” the Florida Department of Law Enforcement posted on X.
Florida Gov. DeSantis vows to veto Legislature’s immigration bill
“The veto pen is ready,” DeSantis posted on X.
“We must have the strongest law in the nation on immigration enforcement. We cannot be weak,” he said.
“That’s what the people expect and what the people have voted for in recent elections, culminating in the mandate earned by President Trump to enact the largest deportation program in history.
The “removal of illegal aliens residing in our state requires strong legislation that will guarantee state and local deportation assistance, end catch and release, eliminate magnets such as remittances, and adopt supporting policies that will protect Floridians from the scourge of illegal immigration. The veto pen is ready,” DeSantis said.
What is the TRUMP Act?
The Legislature’s immigration bill is called the “Tackling and Reforming Unlawful Migration Policy,” or the TRUMP Act.
The clause that most enraged DeSantis and his allies was making the state’s agricultural commissioner, current Trilby egg farmer and former state senator Wilton Simpson, Florida’s chief immigration enforcement officer.
That violates the governor’s “supreme executive power” granted by the state constitution, his supporters claim.
