TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday announced a new partnership between the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to enhance immigration enforcement within the state.
The agreement, authorizes FHP officers to perform specific federal immigration enforcement functions, marking Florida as one of the first states to fully integrate state troopers into federal immigration efforts.
Under this agreement, agreement, Florida state law enforcement officers will now have expanded authority to:
- Interrogate individuals suspected of being in the country illegally.
- Detain and process undocumented individuals for deportation.
- Serve and execute arrest warrants for immigration violations.
- Enforce felony arrests related to federal immigration laws.
- Coordinate directly with ICE to expedite deportations.
“This means that FHP state law enforcement officers will be empowered to arrest and detain aliens attempting to unlawfully enter the United States, such as through ports of entry or via waters off Florida’s coastline,” DeSantis said.
FHP Executive Director Dave Kerner emphasized the importance of Florida’s partnership with ICE and DHS, calling it a pivotal moment in immigration enforcement.
“History will show that this agreement will have served as a turning point in our battle to defend our homeland and to defend our state,” Kerner said.
As part of the initiative, Florida will continue using its state resources, including the State Guard and National Guard, to assist with immigration enforcement.
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DeSantis also suggested that additional state agencies, such as the Florida Department of Law Enforcement could be incorporated into the program if DHS determines their involvement would be beneficial.
“Now is the final opportunity to end the illegal immigration crisis in this country once and for all,” DeSantis said.
