Gov. Ron DeSantis announces agreement on illegal immigration

DORAL, FL – Florida Governor, Ron DeSantis, announced Friday, Feb. 7, a new agreement between the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to fight illegal immigration within the state.

“We need to be willing partners with the federal administration,” said DeSantis Friday during a Tallahassee press conference at the state’s Capitol building. “We have to step up and do our part.”

The agreement grants FHP officers to perform specific federal immigration enforcement functions, which makes Florida one of the first states to involve state troopers into federal immigration efforts. Texas was the first state to do so. 

“Nos is the final opportunity to end the illegal immigration crisis in this country once and for all,” said the governor.

But this new announcement doesn’t imply the Florida Highway Patrol will take the final decision on deportation or detainment as this function will continue to be at the hands of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).  

The role of the FHP will be to help identify and assist in the enforcement of federal immigration laws. Under this agreement, they will have the ability to coordinate directly with ICE to expedite deportations, interrogate individuals suspected of being in the country illegally, detain and process undocumented individuals for deportation, enforce felony arrests related to federal immigration laws and serve and execute arrest warrants for immigration violations.

As part of the agreement, Florida governor said the state will continue to use its resources to help enhance immigration efforts, while he also said other state agencies, such as the Florida Department of Law Enforcement could join the agreement even though he still hasn’t heard back from Florida Republicans to make an immigration bill.