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Florida Says Operation Tidal Wave Tops 10,000 Arrests as DHS Weighs Third Detention Site

Officials say 63% had prior criminal records and recent flights have deported nearly 3,000 people.

Overview

  • Gov. Ron DeSantis reported more than 10,000 arrests under the initiative since April 2025, with some accounts putting the figure at about 10,400.
  • Since September, 93 flights from the Baker County "Deportation Depot" have removed 2,926 detainees, according to state figures.
  • Florida is awaiting DHS approval for a Panhandle detention center and is exploring a potential South Florida site, with the Everglades facility described as temporary.
  • State leaders say the operation relies on an expanded 287(g) network involving more than 300 agencies and describe it as the largest joint ICE operation to date.
  • Democrats and civil-rights groups challenge the program’s authority and conditions in federal lawsuits, citing prolonged emergency powers, costs, and detainees’ access to counsel.