Florida Highway Patrol troopers to enforce immigration law as special deputy U.S. Marshals

TAMPA, Fla. – Gov Ron DeSantis announced Monday Florida Highway Patrol troopers volition beryllium enforcing migration instrumentality conscionable similar national agents.

This week, more than 100 FHP troopers were the archetypal authorities officers successful the state to beryllium sworn successful arsenic special lawman U.S. Marshals.

DeSantis said the troopers volition beryllium capable to enforce migration instrumentality independently from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“It empowers authorities troopers to execute national warrants and region unsafe transgression aliens from our communities,” DeSantis said.

During the quality league successful Tampa, DeSantis was with Larry Keefe, the enforcement manager of the State Board of Immigration Enforcement.

Keefe held up the state’s Immigration Enforcement Operations Plan, a 37-page “Florida blueprint” that helium said is simply a “prototype” for different states to follow.

Dave Kerner, the enforcement manager of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, said deputized troopers person national authorization to detain, investigate, apprehend, and deport.

The ramp-up follows Operation Tidal Wave past month. A state-federal concern to detain more than 1,000 migrants successful Florida successful little than a week.

“We were told Tidal Wave was truthful palmy and the inclination oregon signifier for the authorities of Florida. What we are doing is specified that is the caller normal,” Keefe said.

DeSantis besides released a statement saying Florida submitted a program to the national authorities to “contribute caller detention facilities” and a connection to deputize Florida National Guard JAGS arsenic migration judges.

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