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The Trump administration is looking for office space in multiple cities across the country, including some in South Florida, to expand federal law enforcement efforts.
The General Services Administration (GSA) posted a solicitation on its website last month seeking competitive ten-year lease proposals for “as-is, fully-finished and furnished office space,” in 19 cities, including the Fort Lauderdale and Sunrise area, “in support of administrative operations for law enforcement.” The Washington Post and NPR report that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is behind the solicitation. The government is seeking 11,500 to 18,500 square feet of office space for 70 workstations at each location. The Trump administration also plans to rent office space in Naples, Tampa, and Jacksonville.
ICE and GSA did not respond to a New Times‘ email asking which agency the office spaces are for.
Since the onset of his second presidency, President Donald Trump promised to carry out the largest mass deportation operation in U.S history. Under his watch, ICE agents have carried out raids across the country targeting what the agency describes as the “worst of the worst” offenders, though records suggest that hasn’t always been the case. Among those detained as part of Trump’s immigration crackdown was a 27-year-old University of Florida student, who the Gainesville Police Department arrested for driving with an expired license and registration tag. Felipe Zapata Velásquez later chose to self-deport to his home country of Colombia.
As of September 25, there are 59,762 people held in ICE detention.
Amid anti-ICE protests, Trump has sent the National Guard to several Democratic cities, arguing troops are necessary to protect federal buildings and combat crime. The National Guard deployment to Chicago and Portland has since been held up in court after legal challenges by local leaders. Federal troops are expected to arrive in Memphis on Friday.
During a cabinet meeting on Thursday, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said her office is purchasing additional buildings in Chicago and Portland to serve as bases for law enforcement operations.
“We’re not gonna back off, in fact, we are doubling down, and we are going to be in more parts of Chicago in response to the people there,” Noem added.
To support the federal government’s immigration crackdown, multiple cities and sheriff’s offices across Florida have signed 287(g) agreements, which effectively give their police officers immigration enforcement powers to work alongside ICE. The agreements allow officers to stop, question, and detain people suspected of violating immigration laws.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and ICE have been actively recruiting for job openings in South Florida. According to Indeed, CBP is hiring in Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Hollywood, and West Palm Beach. ICE is also seeking a physician assistant or nurse practitioner in Miami to provide medical care to migrants attempting to reach the U.S. by sea and to those in ICE custody “during removal missions.”
