Florida is the first state to allow law enforcement officials to be qualified.
Florida officials have announced that 1,800 state highway patrol troopers have received federal qualifications under the Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) agreement and have allowed illegal immigrants to be arrested on their own.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a press conference on May 12 that the state’s ongoing partnership with ICE includes what is known as the 287(g) agreement.
The Florida Highway Patrol has concluded a 287(g) task force model that gives the authority to illegally arrest foreigners in the country and arrest foreigners who place detainees during regular policing such as traffic stops.
Essentially, local law enforcement agencies can act as an extension of ice under federal supervision.
Desantis encouraged other states to support President Donald Trump’s efforts to deport illegal immigrants, noting the success of the tide vibration. A recent federal joint operation has arrested more than 1,100 illegal immigrants.
Among those arrested were gang members such as MS-13 and Tren de Aragua. Both were designated as terrorist organizations by the Trump administration.
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Additionally, Desantis said Florida has vowed as a special Deputy US ex-s with 100 troopers.
Dave Carner, director of Florida Highway Safety and Automobile Division, said at a press conference that the Florida Troopers were the first fully qualified law enforcement agency to operate fully under the 287(g) task force model.
“What that means is that if you see a state trooper, he or she will detain, investigate, arrest and deport federal authorities,” Kerner said. “All 67 counties in this great state have troopers who have that authority.”
Kerner told the Epoch Times that the former US trooper could go to the house to provide a warrant that is not part of the 287(g) contract.
He said the program will provide flexibility for states and local jurisdictions, allowing them to determine the level of involvement once they have been enrolled in the contract.
“It’s generally a voluntary effort,” he said. “You can decide what amount you want to participate in.”
Illegal immigrants from Venezuela have been forced to take up a Texas state trooper after crossing the border from Mexico to Del Rio, Texas on May 18, 2021. John Moore/Getty Images
DeSantis added that if approved by the federal government, there are plans to allow supporters of military judges to act as immigration judges and provide makeshift detention space and transport to illegal immigrants.
The governor noted that states’ experience in disaster response, such as during hurricanes, helped states plan. He said there are between 70,000 and 80,000 illegal immigrants in the state, and a final deportation order has been issued by a judge.
Eliminating illegal immigrants from crime can help reduce crime and save lives, DeSantis said.
“You’re really making a difference in your community,” he said.
About 11 million illegal immigrants have been arrested at the US border over the past four years, according to customs and border security data.
Trump has campaigned on border security and deportation of illegal immigrants. Back at the White House, he moved to maintain that promise through a government-wide approach that includes designating several Mexican cartels and other multinational criminal groups as terrorist organizations. As a result, some members of the MS-13 and Tren de Aragua gang were deported to El Salvador’s Terrorist Confinement Centre known as CECOT.
Although dozens of states have agreed under the 287(g) program, Florida is the first to qualify as a law enforcement officer.
US military personnel were recently deported by the US government to jail for the Centre of Terrorism Confinement (CECOT) prison on March 30, 2025, as part of an agreement with San Luis Talpa, El Salvador. President’s Press Secretary/Reuters Office
Law enforcement agencies across the country are encouraged to register in the Trump administration’s 287(g) agreement, as they do not have enough federal officials to find and deal with millions of illegal immigrants.
In addition to the task force model, the federal government has created a prison enforcement model and a warrant service officer model.
The prison enforcement model allows local officers to identify and deal with removable non-citizens who are already booked at local prisons. The Warrant Services Officer model allows officers to serve and execute control warrants for illegal immigrants already in custody.
