Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Gisela Salomon

Florida immigration arrests have quietly surged, with state and local agencies at the forefront

Immigration Enforcement Florida - (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

On a late March afternoon, a Florida Fish and Wildlife officer pulled up to a Guatemalan couple walking their dog in a park in the affluent beachside community of Bonita Springs, along the Gulf Coast. From his car, he asked to see the husband's identification and then ordered them to head toward the park exit, according to the wife.

When they arrived in the parking lot, the officer arrested the husband on a bogus charge, said his wife, who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity for her and her 48-year-old husband because she didn't want to risk being detained as well or put either of their pending asylum cases at risk.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.