DeSantis touted action against undocumented migrants. Most arrests were legal residents (ANA CEBALLOS, 7/28/22,  HERALD/TIMES)

 Inside a packed room at the Escambia County Sheriff's Office in June, Gov. Ron DeSantis talked about the many ways his administration is trying to "keep illegals out of the state of Florida" in response to President Joe Biden's immigration policies. 

He highlighted a state-led law enforcement operation, which took place June 7-9 in four counties in Northwest Florida. When talking about outcomes, the governor's message was unmistakable: The state was doing its part to combat undocumented immigration because it had arrested several "illegal aliens." "They were able to recover these illegal aliens and enough fentanyl to kill off 2,000 people in the state of Florida," DeSantis said at the press conference in Pensacola. 

What DeSantis did not mention is that the vast majority of the 22 arrests were not related to immigration but rather tied to men and women who live in the country legally. 

DeSantis also implied that undocumented migrants had been arrested on drug-related crimes, when none were, according to arrest records provided by the Florida Highway Patrol and two of the four sheriff's offices that participated in the state's effort.