GAINESVILLE, Fla. – In a significant policy update, the Gainesville Police Department has introduced a General Order mandating that every sworn officer record any interaction with individuals suspected of being unauthorized aliens. This requirement stands irrespective of whether these individuals are facing criminal charges or not.
Click here to read General Order 82.4
Issued on August 27, 2026, the directive specifies that traits such as limited English proficiency alone don’t justify an investigation. However, if a person flees, it might provide “reasonable suspicion.” Officers, therefore, have the authority to engage in consensual encounters with individuals to gather more details, even when there’s no concrete suspicion of the person’s immigration status being illegal.
Submitting an FDLE form is mandatory, regardless of arrest status
Whenever an officer suspects someone could be an unauthorized alien, and the circumstance doesn’t lead to an arrest, the officer is compelled to fill out an FDLE form, aptly named the Suspected Unauthorized Alien Contact Form. This form, which must include a photo of the individual, should be submitted to a designated GPD email by the completion of that day’s shift.
If an officer reasonably suspects that an individual is an unauthorized alien and the person is being arrested, the officer must complete the same form, upload a photo, and email it for approval; in addition, the officer must add a note to the arrest report: “FDLE NOTIFICATION – FSS 908.1031, Suspected Unauthorized Alien.“
Supervisors at GPD will have six days to review and approve the submitted forms, and monthly summary reports must be submitted to the State Board of Immigration by the 15th day of the following month.
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Arrests for ICE detainers must be performed by ASO
If an officer conducts a wants/warrants check while speaking to an individual and discovers an immigration warrant or ICE detainer, the officer must detain the individual and request assistance from a Designated Immigration Officer (DIO) at the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office (ASO). The Order states, “Only a DIO can enforce a civil immigration warrant when no other criminal charges exist.”
A DIO is an officer who has been authorized by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to perform specified but limited immigration law enforcement functions within the scope of a 287(g) agreement. GPD does not have a DIO.
An “unauthorized alien” is defined as a person who is unlawfully present in the U.S. according to the terms of the federal Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. ss. 1101 et seq. and s. 908.111(1)(d), Florida Statutes.
Officers are required to immediately notify specific entities at GPD if human trafficking is suspected.