Ron DeSantis Highlights Migrant Arrest Figures in Florida: More Expected

In his recent "State of the State" address to the Florida Congress, Governor Ron DeSantis once again placed immigration at the forefront of his political agenda.

DeSantis claimed that over 20,000 undocumented migrants have been apprehended in Florida over the past nine months.

This statistic was showcased as evidence of his administration's leadership in implementing stringent immigration policies, aligning with the mass deportation agenda of President Donald Trump.

"Florida stands alone as the only state mandating state and local cooperation with federal immigration authorities. In just the last nine months, Florida has been responsible for handing over nearly 20,000 illegal aliens to the Department of Homeland Security," DeSantis emphasized to state legislators.

A Legacy of Aggressive Immigration Enforcement

The Republican governor, set to leave office in January 2027 after two terms, has made immigration a cornerstone of his administration.

During his speech, he defended measures such as the ban on "sanctuary cities" and mandatory implementation of 287(g) agreements, which enable local law enforcement to work directly with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

These initiatives have positioned Florida as the second state in the nation for immigrant arrests, trailing only Texas.

Through programs like "Operation Tide"—a joint effort between state agencies and ICE—over 10,400 arrests were made in 2025.

An additional 9,600 arrests were achieved through 287(g) agreements, according to state data confirmed by outlets like NBC and the Miami Herald.

"Our communities are safer thanks to these measures," stated DeSantis, though he did not provide data linking these arrests directly to improved public safety.

The Profile of Those Arrested

While the official narrative presents the 20,000 detainees as a security achievement, detailed data from NBC reveals important nuances:

• More than 4,800 individuals were detained solely for immigration violations, without committing common or violent crimes.
• A quarter of those arrested did have criminal records.
• The remaining detainees mostly faced charges for non-violent offenses, such as driving without a valid license.

These figures, corroborated by the Deportation Data Project at the University of California and the Miami Herald, challenge the state government's narrative regarding the danger posed by the detained migrants.

Controversial Detention Centers

Florida has also faced criticism for opening detention centers in 2025 with offensive and stigmatizing names like "Alligator Alcatraz" (west of Miami) and "Deportation Deport" (in the north of the state).

Various civil rights organizations have argued that these centers not only heighten the criminalization of migrants but turn immigration policy into a spectacle.

DeSantis, undeterred by critics, announced that the state legislature is considering a slate of new measures to further tighten conditions for undocumented immigrants in Florida.

Proposed actions include:

• Fines for employers hiring immigrants without verifying their immigration status.
• Criminal charges for those employing more than 50 undocumented workers.
• Bans on accessing loans or sending remittances for undocumented migrants.
• The creation of a "presumption of guilt" for undocumented immigrants involved in traffic accidents, a measure deemed openly discriminatory.

Florida as a Model of Repressive Immigration Policy

Since Donald Trump's return to the White House in January 2025, Florida has served as a testing ground for intense immigration control, with 325 agreements signed with ICE by last September.

This marks a 577% increase since Trump began his second term.

According to human rights organizations, this scenario sets a troubling precedent for national immigration policy, where migrant criminalization has become political capital for conservative leaders.

In his effort to bolster the notion that repressive immigration policies enhance public safety, DeSantis reiterated a story from 2024: the alleged confession of a thief who claimed to prefer committing crimes in New York and spending in Florida because "they lock you up" in the latter state.

However, security experts consulted by CNN pointed out that this is an anecdotal case, lacking empirical evidence that high levels of immigration arrests correlate with reduced crime rates.