It began with a tip—an anonymous message left at a Florida ICE field office.
The information was vague but alarming: several individuals living quietly in local communities were allegedly involved in serious crimes. Officials could not ignore it.
What started as a routine investigation quickly evolved into a larger, highly secretive operation, one that would shake communities and raise questions few outside the agency were meant to ask.
More than 150 illegal immigrant s*xual predators were arrested in Florida as part of a statewide crackdown, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced Wednesday.
Noem told Fox News that these individuals were part of a larger group of roughly 230 illegal immigrants detained in recent days. The operation was conducted in cooperation with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s administration. “This effort, called Operation Criminal Return, is also known to me as Operation Dirtbag, because these were not just any offenders—they specifically targeted children,” Noem said during an interview on Fox & Friends.
“These 150 individuals will be off the streets. Our children will be safer,” she added. “They should never have been in our country in the first place.”
Since returning to office in January, President Donald Trump has prioritized a nationwide crackdown on illegal immigration, pledging to deport undocumented immigrants with criminal records. His administration has also declared a national emergency at the U.S.–Mexico border in response to years of elevated border crossings.
Some deportations have targeted individuals sent to countries with which they have no connections, such as El Salvador in Central America and South Sudan in Africa. Officials noted that many deportees come from nations that refuse to accept them or have prior violent criminal convictions.
Other measures have included attempts to limit birthright citizenship under the 14th Amendment, though courts have blocked these efforts. In July, a federal appeals court in San Francisco ruled that Trump’s order was unconstitutional, upholding a lower court’s nationwide injunction issued in New Hampshire.
Additionally, the administration has invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to remove suspected members of the Tren de Aragua gang, describing them as an invading force, although this directive has faced legal challenges.
Homeland Security officials confirmed last month that ICE is preparing a nationwide surge in deportations, deploying additional agents to increase enforcement efforts.
“We aim to increase arrest numbers significantly, especially with the new funding from One Big, Beautiful Bill,” said Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary for public affairs at Homeland Security, in an Oct. 26 interview.
McLaughlin added that ICE has received approximately 175,000 job applications, allowing officials to expand their workforce and enhance operations. In July, DHS and ICE launched an ad campaign offering incentives—including $50,000 signing bonuses, student loan forgiveness, and other benefits—to recruit participants for the mass deportation effort.
In Florida, authorities reported more than 6,000 immigration arrests over the past five months, reflecting a significant increase in enforcement activity by state law enforcement agencies.
Conclusion
The arrests in Florida underscore the Trump administration’s ongoing focus on cracking down on illegal immigration, particularly targeting individuals with criminal histories. While the operations have drawn praise for removing s*xual predators from the streets, they continue to face legal and ethical scrutiny. The effort highlights the complex balance between public safety, immigration enforcement, and constitutional protections.