The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) recently detained 10 illegal migrants from Jamaica, Haiti, and the Bahamas in an alleged human smuggling operation off the coast of Fort Pierce under Operation Vigilant Sentry.
Led by Gov. Ron DeSantis, Operation Vigilant Sentry (OVS) aims to coordinate Florida’s law enforcement response to criminal migrants attempting to smuggle drugs, guns and people onto Florida’s coastline.
The governor highlighted the operation's success in a post following the news.
"We have stopped almost 18,000 illegals from arriving on FL shores through our Operation Vigilant Sentry," DeSantis said.
The FDLE collaborated with federal and local partners in the operation, including Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations in Stuart, Indian River County Sheriff's Office, Fort Pierce Police Department, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Homeland Security Investigations Miami, CBP Florida, St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office, St. Lucie County Fire Department and U.S. Coast Guard Southeast.
According to the United States Coast Guard, Operation Vigilant Sentry, a Homeland Security Task Force-Southeast plan, was first approved in 2004. The operation is designed to prevent illegal maritime migration in the Caribbean corridor of the United States using federal, state, and local agencies.
Its primary objective includes preventing loss of life at sea and deterring and dissuading illegal maritime migration.
Operation Vigilant Sentry is one of many illegal immigration crackdowns under the leadership of DeSantis since he signed a sweeping anti-illegal immigration package into law in February.
They include Operation Tidal Wave, which executed immigration arrests and deportations of gang members, sex offenders, fugitives from justice, and individuals who pose significant public safety threats throughout the state.
The operation included a seizure of 1100 pounds of drugs from a vessel in Miami-Dade County led by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
