Florida’s Operation Tidal Wave netted 1,120 criminal alien arrests in what officials are calling the largest joint Florida-ICE effort in the state’s history.
The weeklong immigration crackdown took place across the state April 21-26 in a first-of-its kind partnership between federal and state law enforcement organizations. ICE said Thursday that 63% of the arrests were of people who had existing criminal arrests or convictions.
Among the 1,120 people arrested, 378 were criminal illegal aliens with final orders of removal issued by an immigration judge, according to a news release.
“We had a president, Joe Biden, that opened the border and basically declared that people could come illegally, interior enforcement was rendered basically null and void,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis told reporters Thursday during a press conference and reported by Fox News. “And this was impacting not just the southern border and regions of Texas or Arizona, but communities all across the country, including in the state of Florida.”
One top official said is the “most single arrests done by a state in a single week that ICE has ever had.” Some of the worst captured include a “Brazilian national that has a history of aggravated assault,” a Mexican national “whose history includes kidnapping” and “Colombian nationals who were convicted of murder.”
“This operation really is a historic marker of success that was made possible because of the partnership with the state of Florida,” said ICE Deputy Director Madison Sheahan. “Operation Tidal Wave is truly a first of its kind operation, utilizing 287(g) resources, integrating with the state and local law enforcement to assist in the day-to-day ICE mission.”
Many others have been removed from the U.S. numerous times and been convicted of multiple crimes.
- Ciro Ramon Castaneda Perez, a criminal illegal alien from Venezuela, and known member of the violent gang Tren de Aragua, was arrested at his residence in Holly Hill. Castaneda-Perez has a final order of removal issued by an immigration judge.
- Carlos Eduardo Perez, a criminal illegal alien and suspected associate of the gang Tren de Aragua, was arrested April 25 at the ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Tampa field office. An immigration judge ordered Perez removed to Venezuela Aug. 26, 2024.
- Rafael Juarez Cabrera, a criminal illegal alien from Guatemala and documented MS-13 gang member, was arrested after being convicted of illegal reentry by a previously removed alien. He has been removed three times prior. He will remain in custody pending prosecution for illegal reentry after deportation
- Luis Melito Gonzalez Arrellanno, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico and active member of the Brown Pride Aztecas gang, was arrested with a criminal history that includes armed carjacking, firing a weapon, fraud and a conviction for illegal reentry after deportation. He has a final order of removal.
- Aron Isaak Morazan Izaguirre, a criminal illegal alien from Honduras, is an active known or suspected terrorist as a member of the 18th Street Gang. Izaguirre is a two-time illegal reentry and will remain in custody pending removal.
- Miguel Rodriguez Gonzalez, a criminal illegal alien from Honduras, is an active member of the Barrio Azteca gang. His criminal history includes assault, burglary, possession of marijuana, fraud and a conviction of illegal reentry after deportation. He will be held in custody pending his removal from the country.
DeSantis said the success of Operation Tidal Wave is proof of the state’s commitment to be “the tip of the spear when it comes to state support of federal immigration enforcement.”
“We’re demonstrating why we’re going to continue to lead on this issue,” DeSantis said during the news conference. “And you see some of the people that were arrested, these are people that should have never been in our country. Some of these people have been previously deported.”
ICE used field office resources to identify high-priority areas and targets, employing various agencies to arrest criminal illegal aliens around Florida.
Those arrested include violent offenders, gang members, sex offenders, fugitives from justice and public safety threats. Police also nabbed members of several notoriously violent foreign terrorist groups and gangs, including MS-13, Tren de Aragua, Brown Pride Aztecas, Barrio Azteca, Surenos (sur-13) and 18th Street Gang.
The illegal aliens hail from various countries, including 437 from Guatemala, 280 from Mexico, 153 from Honduras, 48 from Venezuela, 24 from El Salvador and 178 from elsewhere.
“We are united in our determination to restore integrity to our nation’s immigration system and enhance public safety for all Americans,” said Sheahan said in the ICE news release.
The multi-agency effort included U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, along with law enforcement partners from the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, ICE Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, the DEA, the ATF, the U.S. Marshals Service and the state of Florida.
“Dangerous criminals have no place in our country,” said Miami Sector Border Patrol Chief Patrol Agent Jeffrey Dinise. “We will apply CBP’s collective intelligence and operational capabilities to target those here illegally who endanger our citizens and the American way of life.”
Florida leads the nation with 287(g) partnerships, which allows local law enforcement agencies to “enforce certain aspects of U.S. immigration law” under ICE’s direction and supervision. More than a dozen sheriff’s departments also assisted with the roundup.
DeSantis credited Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Florida Highway Patrol, and Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Commission, Florida National Guard and Florida’s Division of Emergency Management for assisting with Operation Tidal Wave.
“Florida is proud to work closely with the Trump administration and help deliver on the 2024 mandate from America that our borders be secured and our immigration laws be followed,” DeSantis said in the ICE release. “We will continue to engage in broad interior enforcement efforts.”
