Florida OALE, FDLE Officers Certified for Federal Immigration Enforcement

Florida has expanded its immigration enforcement capabilities by certifying law enforcement officers under the federal 287(g) program, enabling them to enforce federal immigration laws with enhanced authority. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) have both received this certification, allowing officers to interrogate, detain, arrest, and transfer individuals violating immigration laws to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Governor Ron DeSantis has been a key proponent of this initiative, with officials emphasizing Florida's leadership in combating illegal immigration and enhancing collaboration between state and federal agencies. The certification supports FDLE’s ability to prevent the release of criminal aliens due to capacity issues and improves state-level immigration law enforcement efforts. However, the program's implementation has also sparked controversy, including legal challenges and concerns from local officials about access to detention facilities and humanitarian monitoring. Despite these disputes, Florida continues to advance its immigration enforcement agenda in close partnership with federal authorities.