DeSantis reveals big step for Florida to crack down on illegal aliens

HOMESTEAD, Fla. — Nearly every federal, state, and county law enforcement agency in Florida was represented at Wednesday's press event called by Governor Ron DeSantis (R) at Homestead Air Reserve base near Miami.

The event highlighted the DeSantis administration's cooperation with the Department of Homeland Security now that President Donald Trump is in office. While praising the now-historic low illegal border crossings, DeSantis said the Trump administration needs states to supplement the federal efforts to deport the high number of illegal aliens across the country.

'We're the only state in the country where all of the counties have done this.'

DeSantis said sheriffs in all of his state's 67 counties have signed agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to actively participate in joint operations to find and arrest illegal aliens.

"Today, I'm proud to say that all 67 Florida sheriffs ... each one of those sheriffs has executed this 287(g) task force model agreement with Department of Homeland Security. We're the only state in the country where all of the counties have done this," he explained.

DeSantis made it clear that the agreements go beyond simply allowing ICE agents access to jails and prisons. "Obviously, you got to do that. ... This is a task force model which will lead to street-level enforcement operations."

Prior to the event, Florida agencies across the state had already conducted joint operations with ICE.

To emphasize his point, DeSantis had at the announcement representatives from the following agencies:

• Florida Highway Patrol
• Florida Department of Law Enforcement
• Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
• U.S. Border Patrol
• U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations
• Miami-Dade County Sheriff's Office
• Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office
• Lee County Sheriff's Office
• Brevard County Sheriff's Office

DeSantis added that given Florida's close proximity to U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Florida has been asked to help send apprehended illegal aliens to the holding facility there and to provide personnel to staff the site.

"I think that is really smart to use Gitmo strategically. If you have countries that are not going to accept their citizens back ... we can't just detain them on the mainland indefinitely, and we certainly can't just release them back into the community," DeSantis said. "We are way ahead of the curve in Florida."

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