Florida has seen a sharp rise in immigration arrests led by state and local agencies under Trump-era enforcement, with 347 agencies involved, including unusual participants like the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Florida Lottery.

Governor Ron DeSantis has promoted the 287(g) program, enabling local officers to question and detain suspected immigrants, creating pressure to deliver results.

From January 20, 2025, to March 11, 2026, nearly 39,000 immigrants were arrested in Florida, averaging about 93 arrests per day and ranking behind only Texas in daily arrests during the period.

Some cases involve individuals with pending asylum cases or valid work permits, highlighting tensions between enforcement actions and legal statuses or court schedules.

Specific cases include a Bonita Springs couple where the husband was arrested after a park encounter on a disputed charge, and a Lee County incident where a Guatemalan man and his son were detained and later deported following a shop parking-lot stop.

Other reported incidents involve a father and son detained in Lee County over a license plate issue, then deported despite ongoing immigration proceedings and asylum claims.

There are multiple arrests where individuals with pending asylum cases were detained or deported after routine stops, such as a Guatemalan couple in Bonita Springs and a father and son near Fort Myers.

Experts and advocates say trained officers with 287(g) authority are conducting pretext stops to reach immigration custody, effectively extending deportation power beyond traditional federal channels.

Sunshine Law issues arise as Florida agencies and DHS/ICE withhold arrest reports and body camera footage, citing ICE requirements and sensitive information, raising questions about public access to records.

Arrests often begin as routine stops (like traffic stops) and quickly lead to ICE custody, according to immigration attorneys and affected individuals.

DHS/ICE maintains that arrest information is controlled by ICE and not releasable without approval, complicating transparency.

Overall, the reporting frames Florida's shift toward a high-partner, local-enforcement model with broader civil-liberties and transparency implications.