Melissa Donovan
More than 100 individuals were detained during a large-scale immigration enforcement operation at a construction site in Tallahassee on May 29, marking one of Florida’s most significant single-day immigration raids in recent years.
The operation, described by witnesses as chaotic and tense, took place at a student housing development site in the College Town neighborhood near Florida State University. The effort involved multiple agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) under U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Florida Highway Patrol, and other federal and state law enforcement units. Some officers were seen wearing camouflage and face coverings as they conducted the sweep.
According to statements from the Department of Homeland Security, officers arrested over 100 individuals who were allegedly in the country without legal authorization. Authorities noted that among those detained were individuals with prior deportation orders and others with criminal records. Each person at the site was reportedly required to present identification and relevant work permits before being either released or taken into custody.
Witnesses reported that those detained included individuals from a range of countries, including Mexico, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Colombia. Detainees were seen being led onto white buses, some of which reportedly lacked air conditioning despite the day’s heat index reaching 86 degrees Fahrenheit. Several individuals were either handcuffed or secured with zip ties.
The raid comes amid heightened immigration enforcement activity in Florida and nationwide. The federal government has intensified efforts to detain individuals suspected of being in the country without documentation, including arrests at immigration court proceedings. Florida has emerged as a focal point in this strategy, with Governor Ron DeSantis and state lawmakers advancing legislation aimed at strengthening the state’s immigration enforcement role.
Earlier this year, Florida law enforcement, in collaboration with ICE, conducted “Operation Tidal Wave,” the largest coordinated immigration operation in the state’s history. Held from April 21 to April 26, the operation resulted in 1,120 arrests.
The May 29 raid is believed to be the largest single-site immigration sweep in Florida since the state aligned more closely with the federal administration’s mass deportation agenda. Florida is currently challenging a federal court ruling that temporarily blocked a new state law criminalizing unauthorized entry or reentry into the state by undocumented individuals.
For those seeking information on individuals detained for more than 48 hours, ICE provides an online detainee locator tool.
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