Florida Governor Ron DeSantis reported that 10,400 migrants were detained in the state over the past eight months as part of Operation Tidal Wave, a joint effort between state authorities and the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.
According to the state governor, this is the largest immigration enforcement operation in the history of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and it will continue to be carried out in Florida as part of the tightening of federal immigration policy.
What is “Operation Tidal Wave” in Florida?
Operation Tidal Wave consists of coordinated actions among Florida state agencies, local police, and ICE, aimed at locating, detaining, and deporting undocumented migrants, primarily those considered a risk to public safety.
Ron DeSantis claimed that Florida has become a key state for implementing Trump’s immigration policy by working directly with federal authorities.
Nationalities of migrants detained in Florida
According to official data shared by the state government, most of the migrants detained during the operation come from Central America, Mexico, and Venezuela:
- Guatemala: 3,435 detainees
- Mexico: 3,331 detainees
- Honduras: 1,353 detainees
- El Salvador: 312 detainees
- Venezuela: 312 detainees
These figures place Guatemala and Mexico as the countries with the highest number of migrants detained in Florida in recent months.
Read more: New Florida laws for 2026: here are the 5 rules that are already in effect
Criminal records among the detainees
Governor DeSantis emphasized that nearly two-thirds of the migrants arrested had criminal records or prior arrests. Among the offenses listed are:
- Aggressions
- Gang violence
- Fugitives from justice
- Individuals classified as a “serious public threat”
This argument has been used by the state and federal governments to justify the tightening of immigration enforcement operations.
Deportations in the United States under the Trump administration
According to figures from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Donald Trump administration deported more than 600,000 migrants between January 20, 2025, and December 10 of the same year, one of the highest figures recorded in a similar period.
Florida has been one of the states with the highest participation in these actions, due to its strategic location and Governor Ron DeSantis’s stance on immigration.
