Undocumented Immigrants

Maria Martinez, 22, who is in the country without legal documentation, was stopped for a traffic violation in North Port, then handed over to ICE. Her family hopes she can be released on bond.

The discussion at the Manatee Tiger Bay Club focused on the impact of state and federal immigration policies on the immigrant community.

At the Krome Detention Center reports have poured in about a lack of water and food, unsanitary confinement and medical neglect.

They're making their voices heard in Tallahassee. They hope to convince legislators that eliminating in-state tuition for students like them does more harm than good.

“My husband, a father living in the United States, married to an American citizen with no criminal record, has been unjustly detained by ICE,” wrote the family of Eduardo Nuñez Gonzalez, a Cuban man with Spanish citizenship.

The call comes after the Trump administration removed schools as a protected area from immigration enforcement, and the state said schools "should cooperate."

The agency has been authorized by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to help deport immigrants in the state without legal status. Several Florida law enforcement agencies have already pledged to comply with arrest orders.

Immigrant communities across the nation are on high alert, including in the Tampa Bay region, which is home to more than 80,000 people without the required legal documents.

Gov. DeSantis vetoed a similar bill last session, saying it didn't include enough restrictions for people in the country illegally.

A USF survey of Hillsborough County's immigrant community reveals the ripple effects of the 2023 law. Immigration advocates say they've had to clear up misconceptions.

Brothers Leo and Diego talk about the fraught ways their immigration status marked their childhood, and how they carved a path forward.

A slate of laws enacted this year continue the state's crackdown on illegal immigration. Advocates say the changes come as Florida's immigrant community is still reeling from last year's policies.