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A joint operation between state and federal authorities resulted in the arrest of 15 undocumented immigrants, including Cuban citizens, in Key Largo, south of Florida, authorities reported on Thursday.
The raid occurred on March 9 and was carried out by the Criminal Alien Apprehension Team (CAAT) of the Florida Highway Patrol, in coordination with agents from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), as part of an operation called "Operation Tidal Wave," reported Florida Highway Patrol.
According to official information, the detainees are citizens of Cuba, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, and Guatemala who were illegally in the United States. Authorities indicated that all of them had significant criminal records.
Among the crimes attributed to some of those arrested are armed home invasion, aggravated assault, robbery, theft, and drug possession, as well as domestic violence, offenses related to minors, failing to appear before the courts, and deportation records, according to the report released by state officials.
The executive director of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Dave Kerner, defended the operation and stated that these actions aim to enhance safety in the state.
"That is how accountability looks. Florida will continue to lead with decisive actions to protect our residents," he stated.
For his part, the acting chief of the Miami sector of the Border Patrol, Samuel Briggs, emphasized the cooperation between state and federal agencies, which he described as a "force multiplier" for border security and response to potential threats.
The 15 detainees were handed over to federal immigration authorities, who will now be responsible for their processing and determining their possible expulsion from the country.
The operation is part of an increase in the enforcement of immigration laws in Florida. Since March 2025, the state Highway Patrol has arrested over 9,000 undocumented immigrants under the federal program 287(g), which allows state agents to collaborate in the enforcement of immigration laws. According to authorities, more than 1,600 of those detained had criminal records.
The presence of Cubans among those arrested once again highlights the complex immigration situation faced by some members of the island's community in the United States, especially as authorities intensify operations against immigrants with criminal records.
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