The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) is now tasked with enforcing federal immigration laws on state roads, and Fox News has provided an exclusive insight into this groundbreaking initiative.

Governor Ron DeSantis has praised this move, labeling it as a model for the nation, arguing that Florida is establishing a framework that can be emulated across the United States. The state stands out as the first to have trained and deployed troopers under the federal 287(g) agreement, which equips selected state officers to enforce immigration laws in collaboration with federal authorities.

A Florida Highway Patrol officer makes an arrest as Fox News’ Dana McNicholl rides along. (St. Augustine Police Department)

In a recent ride-along with Fox News, troopers conducted a traffic stop for a minor violation that rapidly escalated when a man fled the scene as his legal status came under scrutiny. 

The suspect was later found hiding in a neighborhood shed. According to U.S. Border Patrol, he had prior convictions for unlawful possession of a firearm and assaulting an officer.

Now, that has changed. FHP is the only state agency in the nation currently trained and operating under the 287(g) agreement. In one early-morning stop, troopers pulled over a van and trailer for speeding. Upon investigation, all 11 passengers were determined to be undocumented and were detained on the spot.

Florida is the first state to train and deploy troopers under the federal 287(g) agreement, which authorizes designated state officers to enforce immigration law in partnership with federal agents. (St. Augustine Police Department)

By sunrise, officers had taken 30 individuals into custody, all on a single stretch of highway in Hillsborough County.

In response to immigration advocates calling out the agreement as racial profiling, Kerner says FHP has a lawful basis to make traffic stops.

“There’s going to be people that disagree with what we’re doing, but we’re executing on a mission that is before us. We have a lawful duty and powers to investigate people’s status in the United States as a result of that delegation of authority. We do it professionally. We do it, transparent. We have cameras in our vehicles,” said Kerner.

DeSantis says the initiative is already delivering results and believes it could serve as a blueprint for other states seeking to take immigration enforcement into their own hands.