DeSantis Boosts Immigration Crackdown with New Florida Strike Team

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced that the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) has apprehended nearly 3,000 undocumented immigrants this year and plans to establish a new Immigration Enforcement section to increase arrests. This new unit will collaborate with state and federal agencies to identify, locate, and apprehend "criminal aliens" across the state, underscoring Florida's leading role in immigration enforcement since the Trump administration. The article also touches upon concerns regarding ICE's recruitment of local law enforcement officers and discusses a controversy where FHSMV executive director Dave Kerner criticized the Palm Beach Post's coverage of a U.S. citizen's detention during an immigration crackdown. The citizen, Kenny Laynez, recorded his arrest by FHP officers and Border Patrol agents, leading to charges being dropped against him and sparking a debate about citizens' rights during such operations.