A joint operation involving federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies resulted in the arrest of 249 illegal immigrants during a three-day immigration enforcement effort across Florida.
The operation, known as “Operation 9,” highlighted growing cooperation between Florida authorities and federal immigration officials as the state continues to expand its role in immigration enforcement.
According to Fox News Digital, officers with the Florida Highway Patrol partnered with agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Border Patrol, and several other law enforcement agencies during the operation.
Those taken into custody were processed and later transferred to ICE.
Officials said many of those arrested had little or no documentation identifying who they were.
“We have no records for them, no accountability of who they are,” Lt. Ramin Sulaiman, assistant commander of the Florida Highway Patrol Immigration Enforcement Section, told Fox News Digital.
Sulaiman said Florida has seen a significant influx of migrants since the Biden administration began releasing many migrants into the country after they crossed the southern border.
“More than 1 million immigrants who entered the United States illegally during the Biden administration told authorities at the border that they were headed to Florida,” Sulaiman said.
“But that does not include all the ghosts, meaning the people that have no encounters [with law enforcement],” he added. “They’re just here.”
Officials said many of those detained during the operation were initially stopped for routine traffic violations before investigators discovered immigration-related issues.
Florida officials say the state has become one of the most aggressive partners in federal immigration enforcement efforts.
According to Dave Kerner, executive director of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, nearly 10,500 illegal immigrants have been apprehended in Florida since March 2025.
Trooper Tony Golden, who works commercial vehicle enforcement in Florida’s Panhandle region, told Fox News Digital he believes the number of illegal immigrants living in the state is far higher than many realize.
Based on his experiences conducting roadside enforcement, Golden described the number as “astronomical.”
Golden also pushed back on criticism that officers are targeting drivers based on race or ethnicity.
“We are enforcing the law,” he said. “We don’t pick and choose what we want to enforce.”
Fox News Digital accompanied officers during the operation and reported that more than 100 law enforcement personnel gathered before sunrise at a Florida Highway Patrol station in Broward County.
Participating agencies included ICE, Border Patrol, the Broward Sheriff’s Office, Florida’s Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco and members of the Florida State Guard.
Throughout the operation, officers transported detainees back to a processing center where they were searched, documented and prepared for transfer to federal immigration authorities.
According to ICE public affairs officer Nestor Yglesias, many immigrants detained through the operation will eventually be given a choice regarding their removal from the United States.
“Most of those detained have a choice,” Yglesias told Fox News Digital.
He said some individuals may choose to accept an arranged flight back to their home country while others may remain in custody while awaiting immigration proceedings.
Yglesias said ICE determines whether the immigrant or the federal government pays for transportation costs associated with removal.
He also noted that some migrants may qualify for self-deportation incentives that can reach up to $2,600, Breitbart News reported.
Operation 9 is the latest in a series of immigration enforcement efforts conducted throughout Florida. In January, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said his cooperation with federal immigration officials led to the removal of more than 10,400 illegal migrants from his state.
State officials said eight previous operations have been carried out since October, making this latest mission the ninth coordinated operation under the program.
The operation comes as immigration enforcement remains one of the central priorities of President Donald Trump’s administration and as Florida continues to position itself as one of the federal government’s closest partners in carrying out immigration enforcement efforts.
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