Florida Governor Ron DeSantis highlighted the arrest of nearly 20,000 migrants over the past nine months, asserting that his administration has led the anti-immigrant agenda in the United States, during his most recent State of the State address to the state legislature.
DeSantis, who will conclude his term in January 2027 after eight years at the helm of the state, highlighted as one of his main achievements the ban on sanctuary cities and the mandatory implementation of 287(g) agreements, which allow state and local authorities to collaborate directly with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Florida leads the U.S. in migrant arrests
According to the governor, nearly 20,000 undocumented immigrants were detained and turned over to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in less than a year.
«Florida is the only state in the country that requires full cooperation between state, local, and federal authorities on immigration matters», DeSantis said.
The governor, a former 2024 Republican presidential hopeful, reiterated that Florida has been a national benchmark in implementing immigration policies during President Donald Trump’s current administration.
SB 4-C Law: one of the toughest against immigrants
During his tenure, Florida passed SB 4-C, considered one of the state’s harshest laws against illegal immigration, as it criminalizes the entry of undocumented individuals into the state.
This regulation has been harshly criticized by civil organizations and human rights defenders, who warn that it sets a precedent for other states.
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Immigration detention centers and criticism from civil society organizations
Activists have accused Florida of creating a model for immigration detention that could be replicated nationwide, pointing to the 2025 opening of centers such as “Alligator Alcatraz” west of Miami and “Deportation Depot” in the northern part of the state.
According to organizations, the use of these names is part of a deterrence and political marketing strategy aimed at discouraging irregular migration.
New immigration reforms in Florida
DeSantis announced that the Florida Legislature, which has just begun its legislative session, is considering new measures to further tighten laws against illegal immigration.
Among the proposals, the following stand out:
- Fines for employers who fail to verify immigration status.
- Criminal charges for those who hire more than 50 undocumented workers.
- Restrictions preventing undocumented migrants from accessing loans or sending remittances.
- Establish a presumption of guilt in traffic accidents involving undocumented immigrants.
With these actions, Ron DeSantis’s government consolidates Florida as one of the states with the most restrictive immigration policies in the United States, setting the course for the national debate on illegal immigration, security, and border control.
