A protester opposing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Florida found herself behind bars after allegedly striking a trooper in the face amidst an immigration operation.
“Meet Jennifer Cruz from Jacksonville,” Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced on an X post, accompanying a photo of the woman smiling as she was being restrained by officers.
Just before flashing her smile, video footage captures Cruz lashing out with a kick at a female officer, even as other officers secured her arms behind her back.
“Jennifer is against immigration enforcement and chose to break the law by getting out of her vehicle to assault a Trooper. Unlike Minnesota, we won’t tolerate such behavior. Not today, Jennifer,” Uthmeier stated.
The scene was tumultuous as authorities worked to subdue Cruz. Officers surrounded her, securing her hands and escorting her towards their vehicle, during which she attempted to kick a nearby officer. As they positioned her on the car’s hood, she smirked defiantly. Once inside the vehicle, she continued to kick and shout until officers closed the doors.
Footage shows a chaotic scene as authorities attempted to detain Cruz. As several officers placed her hands behind her back and walked her toward one of their vehicles, Cruz is seen attempting to kick another female officer nearby. Cruz then smirks as the officers detaining her place her on the hood of a vehicle. Once placed in the back of the vehicle, she is seen flailing her legs and continuing to shout at officers until the doors are shut.
A News4JAX reporter spoke to Juan Alvarez, the owner of the Mi Pueblo grocery store which was near where the incident occurred. He said he witnessed a traffic stop involving a state trooper.
“ICE agents showed up with the state trooper. They detained the driver,” he said.
“And so yeah, they had an operation going on. And after that, they had detained another person. But it seems they got into an altercation with that person. It turned violent,” he said, noting that more law enforcement showed up.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in Orlando, Florida, on Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. (Rich Pope/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis shared Uthmeier’s post and wrote, “Really bad decision to attack one of our troopers. This isn’t Minneapolis…”
DeSantis also mentioned the incident at an unrelated press conference on Thursday.
“I do know that there was a woman who came out and assaulted one of our troopers,” DeSantis said. “Let me just tell you guys this is not Minneapolis. That is not going to end well for you in Florida.”
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., quipped in a post, “Never go full Jennifer.”
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier speaks at the National Conservative Convention in Washington D.C., Sept. 3, 2025. (Domonic Gwinn/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)
“This is how it’s done. In Florida, we respect law enforcement and have no patience for far-left extremists who choose to defend dangerous criminals instead of their fellow Americans. This isn’t Minneapolis. In Florida, if you break the law, you will pay the consequences,” Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., asserted on X.
