U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Miami, in collaboration with law enforcement agencies in Florida, arrested nearly 800 undocumented immigrants during the first four days of “Operation Tidal Wave,” a large-scale, multi-agency immigration enforcement initiative.
The operation, which began earlier this week, is a significant step forward in state-federal alliances to combat illegal immigration.
ICE announced the operation on April 26, 2025, in a post on X that highlighted the effort’s success and shared images from the field.
The photos depict law enforcement police holding people during day and night raids, with some suspects shackled and accompanied by agents wearing “ICE” and “State Police” vests.
The operation was coordinated with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Operation Tidal Wave is part of a larger campaign permitted by a February 2025 agreement between Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and ICE, which authorizes local law enforcement to hold undocumented immigrants under the 287(g) program. This program, based on the Immigration and Nationality Act, delegated certain immigration enforcement authorities to state and local officers overseen by ICE.
“Florida is leading the nation in active cooperation with the Trump administration for immigration enforcement and deportation operations,” DeSantis posted on X.
Florida, the first state to officially join this endeavor as part of the Trump administration’s renewed focus on mass deportations, has been at the forefront of such initiatives, with DeSantis touting the state’s leadership in battling illegal immigration.
“Operation Tidal Wave is an example of FL and DHS partnering to deliver big results on immigration enforcement and deportation,” DeSantis added on X.
