DeSantis Details Florida's Mandate for Local ICE Cooperation, Claims Half of U.S. Immigration Arrests
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Summary
The Fox News segment features Gov. Ron DeSantis discussing immigration as a Democratic strategy to alter the U.S. electorate through open borders, amnesty, and noncitizen voting. He outlines Florida's response, including sending officers to Texas, the 2022 Martha's Vineyard migrant transport flights, and January 2025 special session legislation mandating state and local cooperation with DHS via 287(g) agreements. DeSantis claims this has resulted in nearly half of all U.S. immigration arrests by state and local law enforcement occurring in Florida, with authority to remove non-cooperating sheriffs or mayors. The discussion critiques sanctuary cities as unconstitutional and highlights past bipartisan tough-on-immigration stances like those under Bill Clinton.
Editorial Assessment
The interview accurately reports Florida's aggressive 287(g) expansion and record arrests under DeSantis, corroborated by state data showing over 25,000-39,000 immigration-related arrests since early 2025 and the highest number of agreements nationwide. Claims about the political motivations behind immigration policy and the effectiveness of transport programs like Martha's Vineyard in shifting liberal opinions are opinion-based but grounded in observable events. Viewers miss broader context: noncitizen voting is rare per multiple state audits and not a widespread pathway to influence federal elections; sanctuary policies limit local assistance but do not prevent ICE operations or make them unconstitutional per federal court precedents. The framing omits that Clinton's 1996 IIRIRA faced Democratic opposition and that current high arrest numbers reflect both policy changes and the new Trump administration's priorities. Overall, it is a partisan but largely fact-based presentation that could skew perceptions toward viewing all Democratic immigration approaches as existential threats.
Key Moments
The left uses open borders, illegal immigration, amnesty, and noncitizen voting in blue states as part of a larger radical political project to import supporters
Noncitizen voting is extremely rare per audits; some localities allow it in local elections only, but federal law prohibits it and the SAVE Act aims to add proof-of-citizenship requirements.
Democrats like Bill Clinton signed tough Republican-proposed legislation on illegal immigration 20-25 years ago, marking a major shift
Clinton signed the 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA), a Republican-led bill that increased border enforcement and penalties.
Florida passed legislation in a January 2025 special session mandating all state and local law enforcement to cooperate with DHS on deportations via 287(g) agreements, with governor able to remove non-cooperating officials
DeSantis called the special session January 27, 2025; resulting law required 287(g) participation by April 2025 for all counties, with suspension authority, leading to 325+ agreements.
As a result, almost half of all immigration arrests by state and local law enforcement across the country are in Florida
Florida leads the nation with 25,000-39,000 arrests since early 2025, the Miami field office at ~120 arrests/day, and highest 287(g) participation; reports describe it as outpacing others and a leading share of certain enforcement metrics.
Sanctuary cities and states are unconstitutional as they declare federal law does not apply, forcing federal agents to track violators alone
Sanctuary policies limit local-federal cooperation (e.g., on detainers) but do not prevent ICE enforcement; courts have upheld them as not violating the Constitution, though they can increase federal workload.
Notable Concerns
- Heavy partisan framing labeling opponents as 'radical left-wing,' 'Democrat Socialist of America or Communist,' and immigration policy as a plot to 'fundamentally change our country'
- Overstatement of noncitizen voting prevalence in blue states without noting its rarity and legal restrictions in federal elections
- Missing context on sanctuary policies, which restrict cooperation but do not bar federal enforcement or violate the Constitution
Sources Consulted
- Governor Ron DeSantis Announces Results of Major Immigration Enforcement Operations
- How Florida Is Pushing for Increased Local Cooperation With ICE
- Florida immigration arrests quietly surge, with state and local agencies at the forefront
- Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996
- Six Things to Know About the SAVE America Act
- Sanctuary Policies: An Overview
- DeSantis calls for special session on immigration and other issues for Jan. 27