Florida agencies align with ICE to escalate the 287(g) immigration crackdown

Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Commission and Lee County Sheriff’s Office are cooperating with ICE under the 287(g) program to stop and detain people suspected of immigration violations, with reported cases including a father and son who were detained and deported after stops outside Fort Myers. The DHS/ICE directive says information from these arrests is controlled by federal authorities, and Florida’s Sunshine Law exemptions complicate public disclosure. The piece notes the nationwide expansion of 287(g)—driven by DHS incentives and funding for participating agencies—and highlights tensions between immigration enforcement and public-records transparency.