Florida will be one of the first states in the country to have state law enforcement be given expanded power for immigration enforcement under a deal with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Friday morning.
DeSantis said he's directed the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles and Florida Highway Patrol to fulfill the agreement which will have state troopers trained and approved by Immigration and Customs Enforcement to carry out those duties.
Watch NBC6 free wherever you are
WATCH HEREThe FHP will have "expanded power and authority to interrogate any suspected alien or person believed to be an alien as to their right to be in the United States," DeSantis said.
State officers will be empowered to arrest and detain migrants to try to "speed up" the deportation process, DeSantis said.
Get local news you need to know to start your day with NBC 6's News Headlines newsletter.
SIGN UP
"President Donald Trump won a resounding election victory in part by promising to effectuate the largest mass deportation program in American history. Now that is not possible to be achieved unless states like Florida actively work to facilitate the federal operations, particularly with respect to interior enforcement," DeSantis said at a news conference in Tallahassee Friday.
DeSantis said the agreement falls under ICE's 287G program, which gives ICE to delegate to state and local enforcement officers the authority to perform specified immigration officer functions under the agency’s direction and oversight.
"Now is the final time, the final opportunity to end the illegal immigration crisis in this country once and for all," DeSantis said.
