Operation in Wildwood: Over Two Dozen Undocumented Immigrants Arrested in Florida

• Undocumented Immigrants Arrested in Wildwood, Florida
• Operation Targeted Construction Sites
• DeSantis Supports Immigration Crackdown

More than two dozen undocumented immigrants were arrested during an operation targeting construction sites in Wildwood, a small city in Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis announced.

The operation took place in Sumter County, northwest of Orlando, in a rapidly growing area where new housing developments are underway.

The Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) office in Tampa—part of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)—reported that the arrested individuals were originally from Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras.

In a video released by HSI Tampa, authorities can be seen walking through a residential construction site where the arrests were carried out.

Immigration Operation in Wildwood, Florida

More than Two Dozen Immigrants Arrested at Construction Site in Florida
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— el Nuevo Herald (@elnuevoherald) May 14, 2025

It was confirmed that some of the detained immigrants had previously been deported.

However, officials have not yet specified whether any of them had criminal records or prior arrests.

The exact number of individuals arrested has not been disclosed, but Wildwood has seen rapid growth in recent years.

According to census data, the city’s population increased from 6,709 in 2010 to 15,730 in 2020, with a majority of white residents (77%).

Backgrounds of the Detained Immigrants

HSI Tampa stated that it is investigating whether construction companies in the area knowingly hired undocumented immigrants—an act that would violate federal immigration law.

Governor DeSantis praised the operation in a post on X, saying the “mission continues,” according to EFE and ABC News.

This remark refers to his efforts to position Florida as the leading state in enforcing the immigration policies championed by President Donald Trump.

The operation is part of a series of actions aimed at enhancing state security and strictly enforcing immigration laws—a central issue in DeSantis’s political agenda.

According to authorities, operations like this will remain a priority in their strategy to combat illegal immigration and protect the local labor market.

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