At his first press conference of the year, Gov. Ron DeSantis focused on illegal immigration — one of his signature issues.
"There's no other state that has been able to do anything approaching what the state of Florida has been able to do," DeSantis said on Monday at the "Deportation Depot" immigrant detention facility at the former Baker Correctional Institution in Northeast Florida.
DeSantis gave an update on Operation Tidal Wave, an immigration enforcement effort between Florida and the federal government that began in April.
He said the operation has led to more than 10,000 arrests of people in the U.S. illegally. This is in addition to immigration arrests made through other local efforts, which he said brings the 2025 arrest total close to 20,000.
In a release, he noted the countries of origin of those arrested include:
- 3,435 from Guatemala.
- 3,331 from Mexico.
- 1,353 from Honduras.
- 312 from El Salvador.
- 312 from Venezuela.
- 1,249 from elsewhere.
DeSantis said the Northeast Florida facility had sent out 93 deportation flights carrying nearly 3,000 people.
Florida leads the nation in 287(g) agreements with DHS, allowing our state and local law enforcement agencies to participate in immigration enforcement in all 67 counties.
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) January 5, 2026
Since Operation Tidal Wave launched eight months ago, Florida law enforcement agencies have arrested more… pic.twitter.com/kMDMe9UWup
This is on top of an unknown number of deportations from the Everglades detention center, called "Alligator Alcatraz."
DeSantis said the state is working to open yet another facility in Northwest Florida, which would be called "Panhandle Pokey." It's still awaiting federal approval. The governor said there also was “another option potentially” in South Florida.
Florida Democrats have repeatedly criticized the administration's expansive immigration enforcement actions, accusing it of abusing executive authority and violating civil rights.
DeSantis addresses Venezuela
DeSantis also addressed for the first time the United States' capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
He pointed out the large Venezuelan population in South Florida.
"For many, many years, we've seen the country of Venezuela suffering under the yoke of Marxist ideology, first with Hugo Chávez and then with Nicolás Maduro, and we've had a lot of people in the state of Florida that have firsthand knowledge of that," DeSantis said.
"He deserves to be brought to justice, and my sincere hope is that the people of Venezuela are going to be able to liberate themselves," he continued.
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This story was produced by WUSF as part of a statewide journalism initiative funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
