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Were 150 illegal immigrant sex offenders arrested in FL
Executive summary
Federal and Florida officials say a November 2025 enforcement sweep called “Operation Dirtbag” or “Operation Criminal Return” resulted in the arrest of more than 230 undocumented people in Florida, of whom federal releases and many outlets say “more than 150” were sex offenders or sexual predators (DHS/ICE statements and reporting) [1] [2]. Local and national coverage varies in how totals are framed — some stories emphasize “over 150 sex offenders” while others report “over 200” or “230 criminal alien sexual predators” taken into custody during the 10‑day operation [3] [4] [5].
1. What officials actually announced: the numbers and the operation
The Department of Homeland Security and ICE publicly described a 10‑day operation in Florida that they and allied state agencies named Operation Dirtbag / Operation Criminal Return; DHS/ICE press materials say the operation arrested “over 150” criminal illegal‑alien sex offenders and, in related releases, that the total arrests across the operation exceeded 230 undocumented individuals including violent offenders [1] [5]. Multiple news outlets repeated the DHS framing that the operation netted “more than 150” sex offenders while also noting the larger arrest count of roughly 230 people [3] [2] [6].
2. Why reporting shows different totals (sex offenders vs. total arrests)
Different figures come from different categories officials used: several DHS/ICE statements and outlets separate the count of sex offenders (reported as “more than 150”) from the overall number of undocumented persons arrested in the sweep (reported as “more than 230” or “over 200”) [1] [2] [4]. Some local reporting emphasizes the larger “over 200” figure for people arrested who were convicted of sex crimes, while federal releases highlighted the subgroup of “150+” who were characterized specifically as sex‑offense predators [7] [8].
3. What kinds of offenses officials cited
DHS and ICE characterized the targeted subjects as “child sex offenders,” “sexual predators,” and people convicted of crimes including sexual assault, lewd and lascivious conduct, child exploitation, battery and attempted homicide — descriptions repeated in the department’s releases and reporting [1] [2]. Officials named specific convictions and individuals in some examples, such as aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a child and sexual battery of a minor [1].
4. Who framed the operation and for what purpose
The operation and its messaging were emphasized by DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and ICE leadership; Noem described the effort as a model partnership with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and used strong language (“these 150 illegal aliens will be gone… our kids will be safer”) in public statements reported across outlets [1] [9] [3]. Commentators aligned with immigration enforcement advocacy reiterated the triumphal framing and raised policy questions about past enforcement priorities and 287(g) partnerships [10].
5. Variations in local coverage and numbers reported
Florida local outlets and the state quoted slightly different tallies. For example, some Florida newsrooms and officials described “over 200” or “230” undocumented sexual predators arrested in the joint operation, and ICE/FDLE spokespeople at times highlighted the larger arrest total alongside the “150+” sex‑offender subgroup [7] [4] [8]. This produces headline variation: “150 arrested” vs. “230 arrested, including 150 sex offenders” [3] [2].
6. Open questions and limits in the reporting
Available sources give numbers and selective examples but do not provide a full detainee roster, timelines for convictions vs. arrests, or detailed methodology on how individuals were classified as “sex offenders” or “sexual predators” in every case [1] [5]. Sources do not mention whether all listed individuals were convicted of sex crimes prior to arrest in this operation or whether some arrests were based on outstanding charges or immigration status alone (not found in current reporting).
7. Competing perspectives and potential agendas
Federal and state officials framed the sweep as protecting children and replicable policy; media outlets aligned with DHS/ICE messaging amplified that frame [1] [9]. Advocacy and policy‑analysis pieces noted the political framing and raised procedural questions about prior enforcement priorities and 287(g) agreements that enable local arrest authority — signaling an implicit agenda to highlight the success of cooperative enforcement while critics may point to how enforcement choices changed under prior administrations [10] [5].
Bottom line: multiple official releases and news reports confirm a November 2025 Florida enforcement operation that resulted in a total arrest count above 200 (commonly cited as ~230) and that the operation included “more than 150” individuals characterized as sex offenders or sexual predators; exact counts vary by report depending on whether outlets cite the sex‑offender subset or the total number arrested [1] [2] [3].