Operation Tidal Wave: A Major Immigration Crackdown in Florida

In a sweeping four-day operation dubbed Operation Tidal Wave, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), along with local agencies across Miami and Florida, arrested nearly 800 undocumented immigrants. This multi-agency enforcement action marks one of the largest coordinated immigration crackdowns in recent years and is part of former President Donald Trump’s aggressive Immigration enforcement agenda

Officials confirmed that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) provided extensive support to ensure the success of the mission. ICE leaders praised DHS for its dedication to public safety, stating that the operation reflects a broader effort to “protect the country with integrity and honesty.”

“Every day we get reports of individuals who have committed crimes like sexual assault, murder, robbery, and more. Since President Trump returned to office, we have deported over 150,000 individuals—many of them dangerous,” a senior ICE official stated.

Legal Fallout: Judges Charged with Obstructing ICE Operations

Amid the crackdown, tensions escalated as two judges were arrested for allegedly shielding undocumented migrants.

• Judge Hanna Dugan of Milwaukee County faces charges of obstruction of justice.

• Former Magistrate Judge Joe Cano and his wife are accused of evidence tampering and harboring a known gang member from Venezuela’s notorious Tren de Aragua (TDA).

Officials emphasized that the law applies equally to everyone, regardless of status or title. “There will be consequences for those who obstruct law enforcement,” an official said.

Technology and Tools to Expand Enforcement

The crackdown is also being powered by new technologies, including the restructured CBP Home App, which now encourages voluntary self-deportation and will soon assist individuals in arranging their own departure. ICE has also begun enforcing the Alien Registration Act for the first time since World War II, mandating undocumented individuals to register with the federal government within 30 days of arrival.

“If they fail to register, they face criminal charges, fines of up to $1,000 per day of overstay, and possible lifetime bans from reentry,” the official explained.

In addition, the Alien Enemies Act—recently upheld by the Supreme Court—is now being used to expedite the removal of individuals deemed national security threats, particularly members of gangs that have been newly designated as foreign terrorist organizations.

International Cooperation and Infrastructure Expansion

Thanks to efforts led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, ICE has secured agreements with dozens of countries to facilitate the return of deportees. Plans are underway to expand immigration courts, build additional detention centers, and increase border and interior enforcement operations at scale.

“We’re building this operation out on steroids,” one DHS official remarked. “We will use every tool at our disposal to ensure that immigration laws are enforced quickly and fairly.”

FORT MYERS, Fla. − Almost 800 people have been arrested in the first few days of Operation Tidal Wave, a multi-agency immigration enforcement crackdown in Florida, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement authorities announced.

ICE called the effort a “first-of-its-kind partnership” involving state and federal agencies and local law enforcement. The agency, in a statement Saturday, lauded local police agencies for providing “extraordinary support” for the crackdown that began April 21.

“This is a warning to all criminal illegal aliens: We’re coming for you,” Homeland Security Secretary Krisiti Noem wrote in a social media post. “@DHSgov, @ICEgov, and our state partners will hunt you down, arrest and deport you. That’s a promise.”

Florida pressures local agencies to support the effort

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said last month that he planned to investigate Fort Myers City Council after it failed to agree to the partnership, calling the refusal “very troubling” − and illegal Immigration.

Naples Congressman Byron Donalds, a Trump-backed gubernatorial hopeful, said City Council members who refused to go along with the ICE agreement should lose their jobs. Gov. Ron DeSantis also weighed-in, writing that “Florida will ensure its laws are followed, and when it comes to immigration − the days of inaction are over. Govern yourselves accordingly.”

Days later, City Council voted again and approved the ICE partnership. “Good Choice,” Uthmeier said in a social media post.

Almost 800 aliens including MS-13 gang members, including convicted murders, rapists, all these people are now off our streets who have otherwise been acting with impunity and terrorizing U.S. communities,” McLaughlin said on Fox News. “You are going to be seeing this throughout the country. Immigration ?”

Final Thoughts.

This latest operation represents a dramatic shift in U.S. immigration enforcement strategy. As legal challenges mount and civil liberties groups raise concerns, the national debate over immigration, enforcement, and due process is likely to intensify.