Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis delivered on their promise to crack down on illegal immigration in a dramatic fashion last week.
The Tallahassee construction site near Florida State University became ground zero for the largest immigration raid Florida has seen in years.
And ICE teamed up with Florida Highway Patrol to make one devastating move that sent shockwaves across Tallahassee.
Massive multi-agency operation catches construction workers by surprise
A seemingly normal workday turned into chaos for hundreds of construction workers in Tallahassee on May 29 when Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, alongside Florida Highway Patrol officers and other agencies, descended on construction sites near Florida State University’s campus.
"That’s immigration," workers shouted in panic as law enforcement swarmed the area.
The operation targeted illegal aliens working at construction sites, including a $100-million development called Perla at the Enclave, designed to be the "capstone project for the Gaines Street Corridor" and the "entry to CollegeTown."
ICE Homeland Security Investigations Tallahassee led the multi agency operation with assistance from ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, Florida Highway Patrol, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, U.S. Marshals Service, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations.
Law enforcement officers moved swiftly, with some workers attempting to flee only to be tackled and restrained.
"Get on the ground," an officer yelled as he pinned a worker who was trying to escape.
More than 100 illegal aliens detained in coordinated raids
The operation resulted in more than 100 arrests of illegal aliens from several countries, including Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, and Honduras.
According to ICE officials, one individual was taken into state custody for resisting arrest and is facing four counts of assault on law enforcement officers.
Another reportedly attempted to pull a weapon on officers during the operation.
Witnesses described how construction workers were lined up for hours waiting to verify their documentation.
Those who couldn’t provide proper documentation were bound at the wrists and loaded onto buses.
"I wasn’t panicking, but I felt really bad for my coworkers who are just trying to make a living," Fernando Sanchez, a worker who wasn’t detained during the raid, said.
The scene grew tense as agents separated workers into two lines – one for people with papers, another for those without.
Workers were banded with different color wristbands, though the significance of the colors wasn’t clear to observers.
DeSantis celebrates raid as Florida leads immigration crackdown
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis praised the operation that rounded up the undocumented workers as a "major bust" that is "making a huge impact."
"Florida leads the way," the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles declared on social media platform X. "We will not tolerate illegal immigration."
Jeremy Redfern, communications director for Attorney General James Uthmeier, confirmed the raid on X with a pointed message.
"Not just ICE. FHP is there, too! Their first mistake was coming across the US border illegally. Their second mistake was coming to Florida,” he wrote.
The multiagency raid drew both supporters and critics to the scene.
Some local residents and students gathered around the construction site, with some standing in disbelief while others shouted at officers, calling them "Nazis" and "cowards."
As the last bus filled with detainees rolled away around 1:30 p.m., leaving the construction site deserted, one protester yelled, "Good job everyone, you’ve destroyed families once again."
Federal officials defend enforcement actions
ICE officials defended the operation as part of their mission to protect American jobs and enforce immigration laws.
"These types of enforcement actions aim to eliminate illegal employment, holding employers accountable and protecting employment opportunities for America’s lawful workforce," ICE HSI Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno, said. "HSI Tallahassee, working alongside our state, local, and federal partners, will continue protecting public safety by enforcing the immigration laws of our nation."
The agency emphasized that their focus remains on identifying public safety and national security threats, stating that individuals unlawfully present in the United States who are encountered during enforcement operations may be taken into custody and processed for removal in accordance with federal law.
This major enforcement action in Tallahassee demonstrates the renewed focus on immigration enforcement under the Trump administration, with state authorities like the Florida Highway Patrol playing an increasingly active role in assisting federal immigration enforcement.
The construction project, which was supposed to be a landmark development for Tallahassee’s CollegeTown area, now sits eerily quiet as companies scramble to find replacement workers to continue the $100 million project.
