Gov. Ron DeSantis said Florida will become one of the first states in the country to partner with the federal government to bring illegal immigration enforcement powers to the local level. On Friday, the governor said the Department of Homeland Security, and by extension U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), will deputize Florida state police officers, allowing them to perform similar duties to ICE agents. It's called ICE's 287(g) Program. Essentially, Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) troopers and Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) officers will have the power to do the following: Interrogate people suspected of being in the country illegally Arrest and detain people at ports of entry Execute warrants, make arrests and transport people to ICE detention facilities "This program authorizes ICE to delegate to state and local enforcement officers the authority to perform specified immigration officer functions under the agency's direction and oversight," DeSantis said in Tallahassee. "It also allows ICE enforcement and removal operations to partner with state and local enforcement agencies to identify and remove already incarcerated criminal aliens who are eligible for removal before they are released into our community." "This agreement will give FHP expanded power and authority to interrogate any suspected alien or person believed to be an alien as to their right to be in the United States," he continued. "And if they are found to be in violation of proper immigration status, they will be further detained and processed for state or federal offenses." "This means that FHP state law enforcement officers will be empowered to arrest and detain aliens attempting to unlawfully enter the United States, such as through ports of entry or via waters off Florida's coastline, which is of course where we see a lot of the direct involvement with illegals," DeSantis continued. MORE: https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/regional/florida/desantis-florida-illegal-immigration-ice-partnership-fhp-fdle/67-8935a845-ad3e-4f7d-8597-2fbdffab6ee4