Florida Highway Patrol’s Criminal Alien Apprehension Team (CAAT), working with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), carried out a targeted immigration enforcement operation in Key Largo on March 6.
During the operation, CAAT troopers and CBP agents apprehended 15 individuals who were unlawfully in the United States from Cuba, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico and Guatemala. All subjects taken into custody had extensive criminal histories.
Their prior charges and convictions include prior deportation offenses; multiple counts of battery and domestic violence; driving without a license; offenses involving underage persons; failure to appear in court; possession of cocaine; possessing, producing and distributing marijuana; theft and multiple burglary offenses; home invasion, including incidents involving deadly weapons; felon in possession of a firearm; aggravated battery; and obstruction of justice.
“The Florida Highway Patrol leads in the apprehension and arrest of criminal illegal allies who have committed violent crimes here or abroad,” said Dave Kerner, executive director. “Our Criminal Alien Apprehension Team and federal partners are executing targeted, coordinated operations that remove criminal aliens off our streets. This is what accountability looks like, and Florida will continue to lead with decisive action to protect our residents.”
“Border security is a whole-of-government effort, and the success of our mission depends on strong partnerships with federal, state, and local agencies, including the Florida Highway Patrol,” said Samuel Briggs, acting chief patrol agent for Miami Sector. “Our partners are vital to our operations and serve as a force multiplier, enabling us to respond swiftly and effectively to threats, protect our communities, and uphold the security of our nation’s borders.”
Since March 2025, under U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s 287(g) program, the Florida Highway Patrol has apprehended more than 9,000 illegal aliens, including more than 1,600 with previous criminal history.
