MIRAMAR, Fla. — Florida lawmakers touted the results of Operation Criminal Return on Thursday in Miramar.
It’s a joint operation between the state and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, reportedly busting more than 200 undocumented sexual predators in Florida.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was originally scheduled to speak at the news event, but instead posted a message online.
“We have 230 criminal illegal aliens off the street,” he said. “These were people that, under the Biden administration, were allowed to just roam with no threat of serious deportation.”
Homeland Security leaders spoke about the 10-day effort they nicknamed Operation Dirtbag, targeting sexual predators in the U.S. illegally.
“As we’ve been working with the state of Florida, it really acts as a model to the nation of what it looks like, the federal government and a state government is able to work together to effectuate change,” said ICE Deputy Director Madison Sheahan.
ICE Leaders said the success of Operation Criminal Return highlights the function of ICE and law enforcement partnerships.
“This Operation Criminal Return is another fine example of what exactly President Trump said, to get the worst of the worst out of our country,” said Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass.
The event featured photographs of some of the criminal offenders apprehended in the operation.
Six of the seven individuals are convicted of sex crimes against children, and the group includes men in the country illegally from Cuba, Venezuela and Ukraine.
“These are some of the worst child molesters, rapists, murderers, convicted criminals that have been in and out of your community for a long time,” said Glass.
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