Florida Highway Patrol has become the first state agency in the U.S. to train nearly all its troopers under a federal program. The program allows local officers to perform certain immigration enforcement duties.
It’s known as 287(g), and is run by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It deputizes officers to investigate immigration status during their routine duties.
State officials said 1,774 of Florida’s 1,819 troopers have been credentialed as “designated immigration officers.” Dave Kerner, executive director of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, said the agency has played the lead role in more than 3,500 detentions since March.
“It’s a huge trust that’s been delegated to us,” Kerner told troopers during a recent operation. He added that if successful, Florida’s model “is going to be exported to other states.”
How the 287(g) program works
First created in 1996, Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act lets ICE delegate limited powers to state and local law enforcement. Florida is using the “task force” model, which was reinstated under President Donald Trump. It allows troops to check immigration status during encounters like traffic stops.
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ICE says the program strengthens public safety. As of late August, there were 896 agreements across 40 states; however, Florida now holds the largest share.
What enforcement looks like
During an operation documented by The Wall Street Journal in Palm Beach County, the Florida Highway Patrol deployed 10 troopers, supervisors, helicopter support and federal immigration officers. Within an hour, troopers made several stops as ICE agents ran names through federal databases for prior violations.
According to the Journal, detainees included passengers from a pickup with landscaping equipment and another truck where six people were taken into custody. About a dozen detainees were later transferred to a Border Patrol van with their hands zip-tied.
Later, troopers stopped a van carrying two Guatemalan men, ages 18 and 28. The driver had a prior DUI conviction and a suspended license. Both were placed in a patrol truck but escaped by slipping their restraints and leaving through the rear doors without child locks. Troopers and a helicopter searched a nearby school bus lot but were unable to locate them. One escapee was later recaptured at his home and booked into jail.
In total, the Journal said the operation ended with 23 detentions and two escapes.
Critics warn of profiling
Supporters say the program helps remove people with criminal histories. But civil liberties groups argue that it risks racial profiling. The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida warned residents “should not have to fear going to work and being detained or questioned because of the color of their skin.”
The National Immigrant Justice Center also stresses that immigrants – regardless of legal status – have rights. These include the right to remain silent, to decline signing documents and to demand a judicial warrant before officers enter a private home.
What’s next
According to The Wall Street Journal, Florida set aside nearly $300 million this year for immigration enforcement and opened a detention center in the Everglades. However, a federal judge recently ordered parts of the facility dismantled.
State leaders say they’ll keep partnering with ICE even as lawsuits and challenges mount.
