Florida Governor DeSantis Details Panhandle Immigration Enforcement Operation

Panhandle Immigration Enforcement Operation

• 🎯 A first-of-its-kind immigration enforcement operation has been launched in Florida's panhandle, led by the Florida Highway Patrol in coordination with federal partners like DHS, Border Patrol, HSI, and ICE.
• 🔍 The operation targets illegal aliens with criminal records, fugitives, and repeat immigration violators across seven counties.
• 👥 Nearly 200 illegal aliens have already been apprehended, with expectations of a higher final total.

Apprehensions and Criminal Activity

• ⚠️ Among those arrested are individuals with final orders of removal who failed to appear in court, and those who have been deported and illegally re-entered the U.S., some multiple times.
• 💥 Troopers have encountered individuals who have fled, resisted arrest, and physically assaulted officers, highlighting the dangers posed by criminal aliens.
• 🚨 Recent arrests include individuals involved in drug trafficking, weapons violations, and gang-related activity.

Florida's Enforcement Approach

• ⚖️ The operation sends a message that Florida will not tolerate lawlessness and will deploy resources to identify, apprehend, and remove those who exploit the state.
• ✈️ Florida also launched its first deportation flight out of Tallahassee, transporting nearly 20 illegal aliens, with similar operations planned weekly.
• 📈 Since March, FHP has vetted nearly 4,700 individuals, with over 3,600 arrested for immigration violations and more than 600 having prior criminal histories.

Deterrent Effect and Partnerships

• 💡 The governor believes these enforcement actions serve as a deterrent effect, discouraging illegal immigration and criminal activity in Florida.
• 🤝 The operation highlights expanding coordination with federal partners, reinforcing the mission to secure the interior and protect communities.
• 🗣️ The governor expressed pride in the Florida Highway Patrol and thanked federal partners for demonstrating effective state and federal partnership on a critical issue.