A large-scale operation conducted by federal, state, and local law enforcement in Florida resulted in the arrest of nearly 800 illegal immigrants, according to Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin.
Speaking on Fox News Saturday evening, McLaughlin described the operation, dubbed “Operation Tidal Wave,” as a “preview” of similar actions to come across the United States.
McLaughlin emphasized the success of the sweep and highlighted the use of 287(g) authorities, which empower state and local law enforcement to assist in immigration enforcement.
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“This was a major success, it was a large-scale operation. And to your point, this is a preview of what is to come throughout the nation,” McLaughlin stated. “We have partnerships under 287(g) authorities that Secretary [of Homeland Security Kristi] Noem signed, and this empowers state and local law enforcement to actually be able to use their enforcement authority to carry out immigration enforcement.”
Section 287(g), enacted in 1996, allows ICE to delegate certain immigration enforcement functions to state and local law enforcement agencies. McLaughlin detailed the types of individuals apprehended during ‘Operation Tidal Wave.’
“What that means is they can actually make arrests and clean up our streets get these criminal aliens off our streets,” McLaughlin said. “So, like you said, almost 800 aliens including MS-13 gang members, convicted murderers, rapists, all of these people are now off of our streets who otherwise have been acting with impunity and terrorizing U.S. communities. You are going to be seeing this throughout the country, and I think that Americans are going to be really thrilled with the results under this administration in the next 100 days.”
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Among those arrested were Ramon Ciro Castaneda and Carlos Perez-Perez, members of the Venezuelan prison gang Tren de Aragua (TdA), both under “Final Orders of Removal,” according to information provided by the Department of Homeland Security.
“This success and massive operation is a window into what is to come throughout the country for the next 100 days of the Trump administration,” McLaughlin said. “Our state and local law enforcement are heroes as we execute on the president’s mandate to secure the border, remove illegal aliens and make America safe.”
President Donald Trump has recently issued executive orders targeting border security and illegal immigration, including designating Mexican drug cartels, TdA, and MS-13 as foreign terrorist organizations. He also invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to expedite the deportation of members of these gangs.
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McLaughlin also addressed the recent arrest of Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan, who faces obstruction charges for allegedly hindering ICE agents attempting to apprehend an illegal immigrant.
“This is just beyond the pale. I mean, take the Wisconsin judge. The fact she let this individual this illegal alien. American people should know the charges against him more. Strangulation, suffocation, battery, other domestic abuse charges. This is no innocent guy,” McLaughlin said.
She further commented on a separate case in New Mexico involving a judge and an individual associated with Tren de Aragua.
“The wife and that judge went so far as to destroy evidence including two photos on this criminal illegal alien’s phone that showed decapitated individuals, he was sending that around,” McLaughlin continued. “They went so far as to take a hammer and destroy this phone so that police couldn’t access this. We are going continue to go after these activist judges, especially in such egregious cases like this.”
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