ORLANDO, Fla. — Details of a statewide operation were released in a press release by the Department of Homeland Security on Thursday. Secretary Kristi Noem first addressed the operation during an interview with Fox on Wednesday.

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Our Operation Criminal Return, in partnership with Florida law enforcement, has arrested over 150 illegal alien sexual predators—they will be GONE.

As a mother and grandmother, I’m horrified that these dirtbags were able to even step foot in America.

Thanks to the leadership… pic.twitter.com/hIGOmv54JA
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) November 12, 2025

The operation is the latest in the state to target illegal immigrants as a part of the Trump administrations continued crackdown. In that release, the department describing that more than 230 criminal illegal aliens where arrested. Their convictions range from “sexual assault of minors, rape, lewd and lascivious conduct, child exploitation, battery and attempted homicide.”

During a press conference from Miramar on Thursday, Deputy ICE Director Madison Sheahan cited Governor Ron DeSantis’ leadership as a key point as to the success of the operation.

OPERATION DIRTBAG: "@POTUS Trump and @Sec_Noem have made it a priority to let the men and women of ICE go out and do their job to make historic partnerships like here in the state of Florida... together we have been able to remove over 230 heinous criminals from their… pic.twitter.com/oyie7MnwYS
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) November 13, 2025

As of July 10th, all Florida Department of Law Enforcement officers are, “federally certified to enforce immigration laws under the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) 287(g) program.”

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