DeSantis touts $28M ICE funding under 287(g) program as Florida tightens immigration enforcement
Florida secures more than $28 million from ICE and $10 million for local agencies through expanded 287(g) partnerships, as part of a nationwide $1.7 billion allocation.
Florida officials announced a major partnership with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement through the agency’s 287(g) program, saying the state will receive more than $28 million and local agencies will get about $10 million as part of a nationwide distribution totaling $1.7 billion. ICE Deputy Director Madison D. Sheahan disclosed the figures at a Friday news conference in Tallahassee, noting the funding is tied to the 287(g) program expansion.
Under the arrangement, local agencies will receive $2.7 million for transportation and $7.3 million for equipment for 974 officers. At the state level, transportation will total $1 million and equipment will total $27.5 million for 3,676 state officers.
Florida has set the standard for 287(g) partnerships, with 325 agreements in place, according to ICE. Sheahan said the state has a large footprint in the program, with more than 4,700 officers statewide executing arrests on criminal illegal aliens. Officials also noted that Florida has created a full-time immigration enforcement unit within the Highway Patrol, believed to be the first of its kind at the state level.
“This is a partnership that we’re here to brag about, a partnership that Governor DeSantis has made a priority, so that way we can let everyone know how important it is to be a part of our 287(g) program,” Sheahan said. DeSantis added a warning that any attempts to threaten or attack ICE agents in Florida would not be tolerated, saying, “Florida is not Portland. If you think you can go and launch attacks against ICE agents in this state, you’ve got another thing coming. We will hold you accountable very swiftly and very severely.”
The announcement comes amid security concerns in the federal immigration space, including a deadly incident in Dallas in which an ICE detainee was killed and two others injured when gunfire erupted at an ICE facility. The FBI is treating the incident as a targeted attack on the agency; the suspect was identified as Joshua Jahn. Fox News Digital’s coverage provided background for the event, highlighting the broader context of enforcement measures embraced by state and federal authorities. 
Officials framed the funding as part of a broader push to strengthen state and local participation in immigration enforcement, underscoring Florida’s ongoing role in expanding the 287(g) footprint as federal authorities seek closer cooperation with partner jurisdictions.