Jun 8, 2026 - Public Safety

Report: These 2 cities led Miami-Dade in immigration arrests

Martin Vassolo

Photo illustration of a Miami Police cruiser with lines radiating from it. — Photo illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios. Photo: Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The police departments of Sunny Isles Beach and Miami Springs led all other Miami-Dade cities in immigration-related arrests dating to last August, according to the Miami Herald.

The big picture: Immigration arrests in Florida have skyrocketed under President Trump, an increase local advocates attribute to how the state's police departments have partnered with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Across Florida, police departments, local jails and state agencies have signed 287(g) agreements that empower officers to enforce immigration laws or hold suspects for ICE.

Driving the news: Between August 2025 and this past May, Sunny Isles Beach police made 32 immigration-related arrests — the most among Miami-Dade municipalities during that time frame, per the Herald.

Miami Springs police made 16 arrests.
Despite their small populations, both municipalities recorded more arrests than the much larger Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office (6) and Miami Police Department (1), per the newspaper.

What they're saying: "What's important to understand is that these encounters are not random sweeps or local immigration enforcement operations," Miami Springs Police Chief Matthew Castillo told the Herald.

"They are overwhelmingly tied to criminal acts and arrests in a very unique corridor of Miami-Dade County."

Add Axios on Google

Report: These 2 cities led Miami-Dade in immigration arrests

More Miami stories