TAMPA, Fla. — Immigration at Florida's border is expected to strengthen. This is in part due to an agreement Gov. Ron DeSantis made with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

It would allow Florida Highway Troopers to participate in immigration enforcement.

What You Need To Know

  • Gov. Ron DeSantis and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security will be working together to allow Florida Highway Troopers to participate in immigration enforcement

  • DeSantis says this is a step to help fight illegal immigration and trafficking in the state

  • Unimex is a nonprofit dedicated to bringing communities together

  • Some members of the nonprofit feel this partnership will place targets on immigrants

Parks are places Erika Escamilla frequents as she helps communities thrive through the nonprofit, Unimex.

“We had a posada, we had Dia de Reyes right here,” she said.

She’s the community event coordinator, which means she helps connect different groups to learn about their Hispanic culture.

But she’s fearful that the new agreement DeSantis made with the Department of Homeland Security will hinder those efforts.

"It complicates a lot of things for the Hispanic community, not just the migrant community, the Hispanic community, we already know that it triggers a lot of racial profiling," she said.

Under the agreement, it would authorize state and local law enforcement to perform immigration functions.

“This agreement will give FHP expanded power and authority to interrogate any suspected alien or person believed to be an alien as to their right to be in the United States,” said DeSantis.

DeSantis says this move will help combat illegal immigration and trafficking within the state.

"They will also have the power to serve and execute warrants of arrest for immigration violation and be authorized to administer oaths and to take and consider evidence," he said.

Escamilla said she believes there could be other ways to tackle issues like immigration.

"I think local government should be the ones determining if they have an issue with immigration," she said.

It’s an issue at the top of DeSantis' agenda. He says this will help get one step closer to interior enforcement to aid in the Trump administration's largest deportation program.

"Now is the final time, final opportunity to end the illegal immigration crisis in this country," he said. 

For Unimex, it means finding new ways to navigate the changing immigration policies.

DeSantis says this agreement will also mean a push to speed up deportation processes.