Florida’s mass-deportation and immigration-enforcement blueprint, explained
As part of its aggressive alignment with President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, the DeSantis administration has engineered a blueprint the state argues can resolve long-standing federal bottlenecks in Florida and across the nation.
A 37-page document submitted to the federal government emphasizes Florida’s full-throttle strategy — with the state aiding in identifying, apprehending, detaining and deporting undocumented immigrants. The state hopes to ease pressure on federal partners like Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection, according to the document.
The plan highlights how Florida is positioning itself as a key partner in Trump’s mass-deportation efforts. Recently, federal authorities working in conjunction with Florida agencies arrested hundreds of undocumented immigrants as part of a large-scale operation known as Operation Tidal Wave.
“The purpose of this document is to put forward a road map for the significant role that the State of Florida can play in aiding the Federal government in combating illegal immigration during the present emergencies and going forward into the future,” reads the document.
READ MORE: More than 1,120 people were detained in immigration sweep in Florida, governor says
But critics argue that Florida’s plan is unconstitutional and an overreach by Florida authorities.
Here’s what you need to know:
What exactly is Florida doing?
Florida has proposed to mobilize personnel and resources from a wide range of state agencies to support the Trump administration by sharing intelligence, transporting detainees and supporting federal agencies in actions.
These state agencies include the Florida Division of Emergency Management, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida Highway Patrol, Florida National Guard, Florida Department of Corrections, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the Florida Department of Health.
How many undocumented immigrants reside in Florida?
According to a 2024 Pew Research Center report, Florida is one of six states that saw a significant rise in unauthorized immigration. The current undocumented population stands at approximately 1.2 million, an increase of over 400,000 from 2019 to 2022.
However, estimates vary, and the Department of Homeland Security said in an April 2024 report that there were about 590,000 in the state as of April 2022 — making Florida the state with the third-highest population of undocumented immigrants in the nation.
How many law enforcement officers does Florida have?
Florida has approximately 47,000 law enforcement officers at all levels, according to the document. Many of them have already received training, or are in the process of becoming trained, through a partnership with ICE known as 287(g) that allows local police officers to perform some immigration agent duties.
What’s important about the 287(g) program?
The 287(g) program is a key component of Florida’s partnership strategy with the federal government on immigration. Any public safety agency that operates a county jail must join the program under state law.
While municipal and local police departments are not explicitly required to join, Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida’s attorney general have argued they are mandated to do so under the state’s sanctuary law. In all there are over 270 active 287(g) agreements in the state. Many of them are agreements under the task force model to stop, question and arrest immigrants suspected of violating immigration law.
Earlier this week, DeSantis touted that Florida had more state law enforcement agents deputized under 287(g) than any other state in the nation. Over 100 Florida Highway Patrol officers were also recently sworn in as Special Deputy U.S. Marshalls, authorizing them to arrest undocumented immigrants.
Florida’s plan also explicitly states that enforcement missions can include law enforcement officers who are not 287(g) certified, as long as federal officers with proper authority are present. However, the plan recommends that the federal government allow all 287(g) agents to function as “fully empowered immigration officers.”
How does Florida plan to help with transportation of detained immigrants?
Florida says it can help the federal government by lending transport vans and their drivers to facilitate detainee transportation between facilities. The plan notes that state and local law enforcement in coordination with the Florida Sheriff’s Association have already organized a system to transport undocumented immigrants across Florida.
Is Florida proposing more detention facilities in the state?
Florida has already identified several locations in northeastern and south-central Florida that could serve as temporary or long-term detention centers. These locations, chosen for their proximity to airstrips, can be rapidly converted with the help of 12 state-contracted emergency logistics vendors.
The blueprint proposal notes that each site can be set up within 72 to 96 hours to meet ICE’s National Detention Standards, offering food, hygiene, laundry, medical care, ADA compliance and even pharmacy services. The facilities are designed to house up to 10,000 undocumented individuals, if needed, making them a massive force multiplier for federal detention capacity.
Florida urges in its plan that ICE suspend its national detention standards, the strict requirements that oversee detention facilities, saying that they are limiting. It also suggests the Trump administration issue waivers on requirements like barber shops or formal dining facilities to streamline the launch of emergency detention centers, similar to waivers issued to Texas.
How does Florida plan to help with the immigration court backlog?
Florida is offering to support and expedite immigration legal proceedings by providing judge advocate generals through the Florida National Guard to be trained as immigration judges and use the state’s existing legal infrastructure and contracted services to assist in hosting or facilitating remote hearings.
READ MORE: DeSantis was able to fly migrants anywhere in the country. Now he’ll need permission.
Would Florida help with deportations?
Florida is reintroducing a voluntary self-deportation program aimed at undocumented individuals with no criminal record. The Florida Division of Emergency Management would manage the logistics, which includes arranging flight tickets and ensuring all necessary legal documentation is processed. Under this plan, Florida would initially cover the costs of the flights and associated expenses but would request reimbursement from ICE.
“The State of Florida has multiple vendors on standby and are ready to support transportation of undocumented aliens,” the document reads.
What do critics say about Florida’s immigration enforcement?
Critics say that Florida’s approach to immigration enforcement is overstepping the federal government’s responsibilities and going beyond its authority as a state. Alex Howard, a former Homeland Security senior spokesperson under the Biden administration,” said that the new immigration plan was “not about safety” but about “fear.”
“This plan throws due process out the window. It empowers the state to arrest, detain, and deport without meaningful federal oversight, while demanding that Washington pay the bill for actions DHS never authorized,” Howard told the Miami Herald in a statement, adding the blueprint read “less like a law enforcement strategy and more like something out of Havana, Managua, or Caracas.”
Others say that initiatives like the 287(g) program will erode community trust in local law enforcement agencies and discourage immigrant victims of crime from coming forward.
This story was originally published May 16, 2025 at 5:30 AM.
