ICE Raid in Florida: Construction Company Faces Federal Investigation

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A large-scale Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid on a construction site in Tallahassee, Florida, has led to the arrest of over 100 suspected undocumented immigrants, prompting a federal investigation into the subcontractor responsible for hiring the workers. The operation, conducted on May 29, 2025, has drawn significant attention as part of a broader crackdown on illegal immigration in the state, with authorities now scrutinizing the employment practices of construction companies in Florida, one of the fastest-growing regions in the U.S.

The raid took place at a student housing development site in the CollegeTown neighborhood near Florida State University, where agents from ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), alongside the Florida Highway Patrol and other state and federal agencies, detained more than 100 individuals. According to ICE, some of those arrested had been previously deported, while others had criminal backgrounds. The operation, described as one of Florida’s largest single-day immigration sweeps, involved law enforcement officers, some wearing masks and camouflage, checking the immigration status of at least 200 workers at the site.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has been a vocal supporter of such enforcement actions, emphasizing the state’s role in assisting federal immigration efforts. In a social media post, DeSantis stated, “The Feds are pursuing the subcontractor responsible for hiring the illegal alien workers,” signaling a shift in focus toward holding employers accountable. This sentiment was echoed in a statement from HSI Tampa, which noted that the agency is “diligently working to determine if construction companies in the fastest-growing region in the U.S. [are] employing illegal aliens [and] violating federal immigration law.”

The raid follows a series of legislative and enforcement moves in Florida aimed at curbing illegal immigration. Governor DeSantis recently signed a package of bills, including one that criminalized entering the state without legal status, though this law has been temporarily blocked by a federal judge. Additionally, Florida has bolstered its collaboration with federal authorities through 287(g) agreements, allowing state and local law enforcement to assist with immigration enforcement. This raid is seen as part of a larger initiative, dubbed “Operation Tidal Wave,” which resulted in over 1,100 arrests across the state in early May 2025.

The federal investigation into the subcontractor is ongoing, with authorities examining whether the company knowingly hired undocumented workers. While ICE has not yet disclosed whether the construction firm will face charges, past cases provide precedent. In January 2025, Martinez Builders Supply, a Fort Pierce-based company operating as East Coast Truss, was sentenced to two years of probation and fined $100,000 after forfeiting $450,000 as part of a plea deal for employing undocumented workers, according to the USA TODAY Network – Florida.

Critics of the raid have raised concerns about its impact on workers and the community. Larisa Cladakis, a local resident near the Tallahassee site, told CBS Miami, “Whether they are documented or not, they are human. And the fact is that they are literally working. They are building the houses that people are living in.” Others have expressed alarm at the aggressive tactics, with videos circulating of workers being tackled and zip-tied by agents, leading to a temporary halt in construction activity across Tallahassee as word of the raid spread.

As the investigation unfolds, the case highlights the tension between immigration enforcement and the labor demands of Florida’s booming construction industry. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and ICE have stated that no additional information is available at this time, but the outcome of this probe could set a precedent for how construction companies across the state and beyond are held accountable for their hiring practices.

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