Under the memorandum signed on January 29, HSI designates "certain employees of Florida Highway Patrol as customs officers, without additional compensation, to perform the duties as on the 'Designation, Customs Office (Excepted) — Title 19 Task Force Officer' (ICE Form 73-001)."
"Florida Highway Patrol agrees that agency employees designed as customs officers (excepted) will follow HSI directives and instructions when utilizing enforcement activity authority conveyed by HSI," the memorandum reads.
Just four days after DeSantis deputized FHP troopers, they were on the streets helping with immigration enforcement amid President Donald Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration.
"FHP was proud to participate in immigration enforcement efforts this morning in Fort Myers in support of the @TheJusticeDepartment, along with our federal partners @HSITampa, @DHSgov, @EROMiami, and @DEAHQ," Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, on Sunday, February 2.
FLHSMV Communications Director Molly Best celebrated troopers' efforts by reposting the announcement with a comment of her own.FHP was proud to participate in immigration enforcement efforts this morning in Fort Myers in support of the @TheJusticeDept, along with our federal partners @HSITampa, @DHSgov, @EROMiami and @DEAHQ . pic.twitter.com/gGbCe5bCQB
— FLHSMV (@FLHSMV) February 3, 2025
"Justice on a Sunday!" Best added.
As the memorandum provides scant details about how FHP will enforce federal immigration laws, New Times asked FLHSMV how this will change troopers' typical work duties, if they will be pulling people over at random to check their immigration status, and on what roads they will be helping with immigration enforcement.
Best declined to answer New Times questions and instead pointed to the three-page memorandum, which, incidentally, did not provide any details about how FHP will assist federal agents or answer New Times' questions.
"Please see the attached MOU, it should help with your questions," she said in an email to New Times. "Our troopers have worked with HSI many times during operations. The MOU formalizes our path forward and allows us to further assist them in enforcing immigration laws. FHP remains a division under FLHSMV."
On the other hand, Miami-Dade County Tax Collector Dariel Fernandez announced on January 30 that FHP troopers will now be stationed at each of the county's nine driver's license offices in the wake of reported "minor safety disturbances" at one of the offices.
The tax collector said the collaboration with FLHSMV is "to safeguard the well-being of customers and employees alike."
"Our office appreciates the prompt response and support from the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) and the Florida Highway Patrol in addressing these safety concerns," Fernandez said in a statement.
