Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced that all 67 county sheriffs have signed agreements with federal authorities to ramp up “street-level” immigration enforcement. This unprecedented decision, revealed Wednesday at the Homestead Air Force Base in Miami-Dade County, marks a major shift in how local law enforcement will handle immigration matters moving forward.
The agreements, part of the controversial 287(g) program, grant local officers the ability to act in an immigration enforcement capacity under the Task Force Model—a measure that DeSantis claims had been “dormant” under President Joe Biden. This initiative allows officers to enforce immigration laws while performing routine duties, rather than being restricted to jails.
ICE currently operates three models under the 287(g) program: the Jail Enforcement Model, the Warrant Service Officer model, and the Task Force Model. The latter, which Florida’s sheriffs have now fully embraced, had been previously discontinued in 2012 after being deemed an inefficient use of resources. Concerns over racial profiling and strained community relations had led to its phase-out, according to a report by the American Immigration Council.
Despite past controversies, Florida is pushing ahead as the only state where every county has agreed to the Task Force Model. DeSantis, flanked by Department of Homeland Security Senior Counselor Keith Pearson and other law enforcement officials, framed the move as a critical step in aligning with former President Donald Trump’s aggressive immigration crackdown. Trump’s administration has already enacted sweeping changes, including detaining migrants at Guantanamo Bay, ending Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans and Haitians, and dramatically increasing deportation efforts.
Federal officials are reporting staggering numbers, with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) revealing a 627% spike in monthly arrests since January—totaling more than 20,000 detentions. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem further announced the development of a self-registration process aimed at compelling undocumented individuals to leave voluntarily.
Meanwhile, speculation is growing over the potential use of military sites, such as the Homestead Air Reserve Base, for migrant detention. When pressed on whether Florida would assist in such efforts, DeSantis didn’t hesitate: “If they ask us to supplement and we have the wherewithal to do it, my view is going to be we should do it. We should help.”
With Florida taking the lead in nationwide immigration enforcement, all eyes are on how this controversial move will impact communities and law enforcement agencies in the months to come.
