ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Florida officials have announced a significant milestone in their partnership with federal immigration authorities, with the 287(g) initiative facilitating over 10,000 arrests of immigrants across the state.

On Monday, Governor Ron DeSantis, alongside other state leaders, revealed the impact of Operation Tidal Wave, emphasizing its success since its inception.

The officials stressed that this operation demonstrates the effective alliance between Florida and ICE, reinforcing the state’s dedication to public safety and adherence to the rule of law.

“In the eight months since Operation Tidal Wave began, Florida law enforcement agencies have apprehended more than 10,400 undocumented immigrants, collaborating with federal partners to ensure their removal from both our state and the country,” DeSantis said, noting that this marks the largest cooperative effort in ICE’s history.

“We’re proud that it will continue here in Florida,” the governor added.

As a result of Operation Tidal Wave, immigrants from Guatemala, Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, Venezuela and other countries were arrested. 

Most striking, 3,435 Guatemalans and 3,331 Mexicans were arrested. Officials added that 1,249 arrests were of people from “elsewhere,” without clarification.

“Throughout the operation, federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies worked in coordination across Florida to apprehend criminal illegal aliens,” the officials said in the statement, noting that immigration enforcement has historically been a job for the federal government.

County sheriff offices in multiple counties “played a critical role in supporting ICE operations,” including Pinellas, Hillsborough, and Hernando counties, according to the officials.

Last year, as of Nov. 7, sheriff’s offices across the Tampa Bay area had requested $1.92 million in grants to reimburse their participation in immigration enforcement. Polk County requested the most funds, asking for more than $1 million, with roughly half aiming to reimburse housing detained immigrants.

The Florida officials said that Operation Tidal Wave is the first program of its kind, established thanks to the 287(g) agreements, which allow for law enforcement agencies to deputize officers, deputies or troopers to work directly with ICE.

On Sunday, people gathered outside the Pinellas County Justice Center to call attention to the rising number of ICE detainees being held at the county jail. And on Dec. 23, local organizations in St. Pete held a protest against the 287(g) agreement.

In spite of objections by residents in some parts of Florida to the partnerships with ICE, state officials, some of whom are part of the State Board of Immigration Enforcement, like Attorney General James Uthmeier, Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia and Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, praised the immigration enforcement efforts.

Uthmeier said that state prosecutors “will ensure these criminals do serious time behind bars before we send them back to where they came from.”

Ingoglia said that “illegal immigration has plagued” the U.S. for “a better part of 50 years,” adding that thanks to DeSantis and President Donald Trump’s leadership, “we are taking serious steps towards rectifying this problem.”

“Illegal immigrants should think twice before coming into our country and into our state, because if they are caught in Florida, they will be sent back home,” Ingoglia added.

“Through our first-in-the-nation 287(g) partnerships, Florida is working hand-in-hand with the federal government to ensure that individuals in our country illegally – especially those with serious criminal convictions – are identified, detained, and processed appropriately,” Simpson said.

“We are a country of laws, and Florida is and always will be a law-and-order state,” Florida State Board of Immigration Enforcement Director, Anthony Coker, said. “We will never apologize for doing anything in our power to make sure Floridians are safe.”

As of Dec. 1, out of the 18 deaths that had been reported in ICE’s custody across the U.S., six happened in the state of Florida.