More than 100 migrant workers were detained in a large-scale immigration enforcement operation at a construction site near Florida State University in Tallahassee.
The raid, conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in coordination with the Florida Highway Patrol and several federal agencies, is being described by officials as one of the largest of its kind in the state.
The workers, many of whom were involved in the construction of the Perla at the Enclave — a $100 million student housing project — were separated based on their immigration status and documentation. According to eyewitnesses, law enforcement officers surrounded the site at around 9 a.m. and began checking IDs, dividing people into two lines: those with papers and those without.
"U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigation served multiple search warrants as part of an ongoing investigation in the Tallahassee region," an ICE spokesperson told Florida Phoenix.
A social media post from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) confirmed the arrests of "more than 100 illegal aliens," some of whom had been previously deported or had criminal records, the agency said. The nationalities of those detained include individuals from Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Colombia, and Honduras.
BREAKING! @HSITampa led teams from @EROMiami @FLHSMV @fdlepio @DEAMiamiDiv @FBIJacksonville @ATF_Tampa @USMarshalsHQ @IRSCI_Miami during the arrest of more than 100 illegal aliens (some of which were previously deported and others with criminal backgrounds) at a major… pic.twitter.com/FGLwWBW2Gr
— HSI Tampa (@HSITampa) May 29, 2025
Fernando Sanchez, a worker who was not detained, described the scene to Tallahassee Democrat: "I wasn't panicking, but I felt really bad for my coworkers who are just trying to make a living." Another worker, Michael Martinez, said a similar raid occurred earlier that morning at his nearby job site: "It's just crazy how they're doing this."
Witnesses reported workers being shackled — some with zip ties — and loaded onto buses with metal-covered windows. Family members gathered outside the site, trying to get information about their loved ones, while some bystanders shouted at law enforcement officers in protest.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis praised the operation, calling it a "major bust" and an example of how the state is "making a huge impact," as Tallahassee Democrat explains. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles stated: "we will not tolerate illegal immigration."
Florida leads the way. We will not tolerate illegal immigration.
— FLHSMV (@FLHSMV) May 29, 2025
We are proud to support @HSITampa and our other federal partners in this massive operation. https://t.co/X0lrzeqzcG
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