Democrat-run cities thought they could ignore immigration law forever.
One governor just proved them dead wrong.
And Ron DeSantis just dropped one number that has every sanctuary city mayor reaching for the panic button.
Florida Hits Historic Immigration Enforcement Milestone
Ron DeSantis announced that Operation Tidal Wave arrested more than 10,400 illegal aliens in just eight months.
That's the largest joint immigration enforcement operation in ICE history.
63% of those arrested had criminal arrests or convictions including violent offenders and sex offenders.
Florida partnered with ICE in April 2025 to launch Operation Tidal Wave using 287(g) agreements that deputize state and local law enforcement to assist federal immigration authorities.
https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/2008269169452872077?s=20
The numbers speak for themselves about what's possible when states actually cooperate with federal law instead of obstructing it.
"Since Operation Tidal Wave launched eight months ago, Florida law enforcement agencies have arrested more than 10,400 illegal aliens and worked with federal partners to remove them from our state and country," DeSantis said.
Florida is the only state where all 67 county sheriffs are mandated by law to participate in 287(g) agreements with DHS.
DeSantis made sure there would be no sanctuary counties in Florida.
When you combine state efforts with independent county-level enforcement, Florida is approaching 20,000 immigration-related arrests over the past year.
That's more than most states have done in a decade.
DeSantis Built The Deportation Infrastructure Democrats Fear Most
Florida didn't just arrest illegal aliens and hope the federal government would handle it.
DeSantis built two "Deportation Depots" designed for rapid processing and removal.
The Baker Correctional Institution facility near Jacksonville and "Alligator Alcatraz" in the Everglades serve as staging grounds for deportation flights.
The federal government deployed immigration judges directly to both locations to expedite asylum claims and legal processing.
https://twitter.com/RonDeSantis/status/2008277359883862491?s=20
"Our goal is we want people at the facilities as little as possible," DeSantis explained.
The facilities are designed for high-speed processing rather than long-term detention.
Compare that to sanctuary cities where illegal aliens get released into communities and disappear for years before any immigration court date.
Florida Highway Patrol, Department of Law Enforcement, and even non-traditional agencies like the Department of the Lottery entered into agreements to verify immigration status.
"There is no other state that has been able to do anything approaching what the state of Florida has been able to do," DeSantis stated.
That's not bragging, that's just reality.
No other state comes close to Florida's comprehensive approach that combines legislation, enforcement, and infrastructure.
https://twitter.com/realdanlyman/status/2008580157137998167?s=20
The Blueprint Every Red State Should Copy Immediately
Operation Tidal Wave reveals exactly what happens when a governor decides to actually enforce immigration law instead of virtue signaling about it.
Trump deployed the National Guard to Memphis after Charlie Kirk's assassination on September 10 using similar federal-state partnerships.
DeSantis proved the model works at scale before Trump even took office.
Florida received tens of millions in additional federal funding to support these operations including $28 million for the state and $10 million for local law enforcement.
The 287(g) program isn't new, it dates back to 1996.
But most states barely used it and Obama tried to gut it.
Trump expanded it during his first term and now Florida is showing every other red state exactly how to maximize its potential.
Florida has 325 active 287(g) agreements, more than any state in the nation by far.
The arrests include members of MS-13, Tren de Aragua, and other violent gangs that Trump recently designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations.
"Many of the 10,000+ individuals arrested as part of Operation Tidal Wave were trying to prey on our children," Attorney General James Uthmeier said.
https://twitter.com/AGJamesUthmeier/status/2008228917958557696?s=20
These weren't people picking lettuce, they were predators who came to America to commit crimes.
DeSantis warned officials who refuse to cooperate would be removed from office.
"Florida is not Portland," DeSantis declared back in September.
"If you think you can go and launch attacks against ICE agents in this state, you've got another thing coming."
No other governor has backed that up with actual infrastructure and arrests like DeSantis.
The Operation Tidal Wave arrests came from 3,435 people from Guatemala, 3,331 from Mexico, 1,353 from Honduras, and hundreds more from El Salvador, Venezuela, and other countries.
Every single one was in the country illegally and many had final deportation orders they simply ignored.
Sanctuary city mayors watching Florida hit 10,400 arrests in eight months know exactly what's coming if they keep obstructing federal immigration law.
Their taxpayers are going to start asking why Florida can enforce the law but their city won't.
Sources:
- Michelle Vecerina, "DeSantis announces over 10,000 illegal alien arrests in Florida under 'Operation Tidal Wave'," Florida News, January 5, 2026.
- Anders Hagstrom, "DeSantis announces Florida arrested 10,400 illegal immigrants in 'Operation Tidal Wave'," Fox News, January 5, 2026.
- Florida Executive Office of the Governor, "Governor Ron DeSantis Highlights Success of Florida-Federal Immigration Partnership as Operation Tidal Wave Reaches More Than 10,000 Arrests," January 5, 2026.
- Jeremy Goldman, "Operation Tidal Wave: Florida details largest immigration enforcement effort in State history," WDBO, January 5, 2026.
- "DeSantis announces 2nd immigration detention facility dubbed 'Deportation Depot' in Florida," ABC News, August 14, 2025.
- "Florida's 'Deportation Depot' detention center open for business, DeSantis says," Florida Phoenix, September 7, 2025.
