Fact Check: Does Florida rank No 1 in arresting and deporting criminal undocumented immigrants?

WASHINGTON, DC: Florida Republicans gathered on Saturday, June 27, for a major party event where party leaders made several claims about immigration, voting laws, and US elections.

Some of those statements were inaccurate or lacked important context. Here's a fact check of Florida Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia's claim that Florida ranks first in arresting and deporting undocumented immigrants. 

Claim: Florida is No 1 in arresting and deporting criminal immigrants

During the 2026 Sunshine State Showdown, Florida Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia highlighted the state's immigration enforcement efforts while speaking to Republican supporters.

Emphasizing Florida's partnership with federal immigration authorities, Ingoglia claimed that the state is "No 1 in arresting and deporting criminal aliens in our communities," citing it as proof of Florida's tough approach to illegal immigration.

Data analyzed by The Associated Press from the University of California, Berkeley's Deportation Data Project shows that authorities arrested nearly 39,000 immigrants in Florida during the 416-day period from January 20, 2025, the start of President Donald Trump's second term, through March 11, 2026.

Fact Check: Blaise Ingoglia's claim is false

The claim is false. Florida ranks among the top states for immigration arrests, but it is not No 1. Data analyzed by The Associated Press from the Deportation Data Project shows that Texas leads the nation in arrests. There is also no comparable data showing that Florida ranks first in deportations.

Under Operation Tidal Wave, a partnership between Florida law enforcement agencies and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), authorities arrested more than 10,400 undocumented immigrants in 2025, according to state data.

Gov Ron DeSantis said in January that another 9,600 arrests were made through 287(g) agreements, which allow state and local law enforcement agencies to assist with certain federal immigration enforcement duties. Florida has 347 participating agencies, the highest number of any state.

However, a Miami Herald analysis found that more than 4,800 of the roughly 20,000 people arrested were accused only of immigration violations and had no criminal charges or convictions. About one-quarter had criminal convictions, while many of the remaining individuals faced pending charges, including nonviolent offenses.

Florida has recorded the highest number of ICE immigration arrests in the country so far in 2026. According to The New York Times, the ICE field office in Miami, which covers Florida, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands, made 9,880 arrests between December 19, 2025, and March 10, 2026, averaging about 120 arrests per day.