Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) expressed gratitude to the Trump administration for working with Florida to deport illegal immigrants in the state, which has led to a “first of its kind joint operation.”
Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced over the weekend that almost 800 illegal immigrants had been detained within Florida, made possible through cooperation with the state’s law enforcement under the name “Operation Tidal Wave.” The governor said President Donald Trump’s opposition to illegal immigration made a “world of difference” after Florida received no help on this matter under former President Joe Biden.
“However, we have a lot of millions and millions of people who shouldn’t be here!” DeSantis said on Fox News’s Hannity. “Many of them let in intentionally under Biden, and so Operation Tidal Wave is the first of its kind joint operation where the feds are leading, but all of our state agencies and relevant local law enforcement agencies are assisting. So it’s been a huge force multiplier. That operation is ongoing. I think that number is going to be higher when they update it.”
DeSantis explained that after Trump won the 2024 election, he called a special session in Florida’s legislature to require all local law enforcement to cooperate with ICE. DeSantis said he faced opposition from Florida’s House of Representatives but that “fortunately,” the state’s residents voiced their support and helped pave the way for Florida to work with Trump.
In a first-of-its-kind partnership between state and federal partners, ICE Miami and Florida law enforcement arrested nearly 800 illegal aliens this week during the first four days of #OperationTidalWave — a massive, multi-agency, immigration enforcement crackdown.
Learn how… pic.twitter.com/LbH3j4OJU9
— U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (@ICEgov) April 26, 2025
DeSantis argued that after four years of ICE being “gutted” by the previous administration, the agency needs to be rebuilt and local and state involvement in ICE’s operations is “absolutely essential.” He added that if Republican-led states took the same steps as Florida, it would provide an “amazing force multiplier” for ICE.
FLORIDA LAWMAKERS CONSIDERING PROPERTY TAX BALLOT INITIATIVES
Ahead of Trump’s 100th day in office, White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller expressed confidence that the Trump administration would achieve a million deportations of illegal immigrants before the end of the year. Border czar Tom Homan reported that 139,000 illegal immigrants have been deported since Inauguration Day.
Earlier this month, the Department of Homeland Security debuted a pair of ads warning illegal immigrants of the consequences they face if they do not deport themselves from the country. Both ads featured illegal immigrants the U.S. government has deported since Jan. 20 and urged illegal immigrants to use Customs and Border Protection’s CBP Home app to notify the government of plans to leave the country.