More than 150 illegal immigrant sex offenders have been arrested in Florida as part of a statewide enforcement operation conducted by the Department of Homeland Security in coordination with state and local law enforcement, officials announced Wednesday.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the effort—formally titled Operation Criminal Return and informally referred to as Operation Dirtbag—resulted in the apprehension of more than 230 illegal aliens across the state. Those arrested included individuals wanted for serious crimes ranging from drug offenses and sexual assault to murder.
According to DHS, the operation specifically targeted criminal illegal aliens with prior convictions for child molestation, sexual assault, and other violent crimes. More than 150 of those taken into custody were convicted sex offenders, many of whom had reentered or remained in the country illegally.
“This operation was called Operation Criminal Return. I call it Operation Dirtbag, because these individuals were sex offenders, but not just sex offenders—they targeted children,” Noem said during an appearance on Fox & Friends. “These 150 individuals will be gone off of our streets. Our kids will be safer.”
WOW. DHS Sec Kristi Noem announced that over 150 illegal alien CHILD PREDATORS were arrested in Florida as part of "Operation Dirtbag"
"These 150 individuals will be gone off our streets, our kids will be safer."
This is what I voted for 👏🏻pic.twitter.com/eGaMO2OKSW
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) November 12, 2025
Noem said the operation was carried out with the cooperation of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and state law enforcement agencies. She described the partnership as a model for future operations nationwide. “The fact that they were sexual deviants and perverts, and now we’ve gotten them off of our streets, it’s remarkable. And we need to do more of it,” she said.
The secretary emphasized that those arrested “should have never been in our country to begin with,” citing the administration’s continued focus on identifying and removing violent criminal aliens. DHS said the operation demonstrates the effectiveness of close coordination between federal and state authorities under President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement initiatives.
Officials said Operation Dirtbag reflects a growing series of targeted enforcement actions aimed at locating and removing criminal aliens who pose a direct threat to public safety. DHS and Immigration and Customs Enforcement have continued to prioritize fugitives, repeat offenders, and individuals with convictions for violent or sexual crimes.
Noem said her department plans to replicate Florida’s success in other states, noting that the partnership with DeSantis’ administration “sets the standard for how these operations should be done.”
“These individuals should have never been here,” she said. “Now, they’re off the streets—and that means our communities are safer.”
