The State of Florida filed felony charges against a Mexican national for illegal re-entry after being deported. The arrest and charges are a first for state immigration violations under a new law passed by the Florida legislature.
According to Florida State Board of Immigration Enforcement (SBIE) director Larry Keefe, Florida Fish and Wildlife officers arrested Felipe Hernandez-Chavarria, 38, for felony trespassing. During booking, Brevard County Sheriff’s Office deputies discovered the Mexican national had been deported from the U.S. in 2019. Under the new law, signed earlier this year by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, prosecutors charged Hernandez-Chavarria with a state felony charge of unlawfully reentering the state after being previously deported, Keefe wrote in a post on X.
ONE FOR THE BOOKS – Today, the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office and @MyFWC make HISTORY as the first law enforcement agencies in Florida to arrest and criminally charge an illegal alien for unlawfully reentering the state after previously being deported.
— Office of Executive Director Larry Keefe (@FLSBIE) March 12, 2025
Thanks to legislation… pic.twitter.com/3aTgVsY0p9
The new law makes it a state crime to enter Florida as an “unauthorized alien.” The charge becomes a third-degree felony when the federal government has previously deported the illegal alien. If convicted on the charge, the offender faces a mandatory minimum prison term of one year and one day.
“Great job enforcing our recently enacted legislation to fight illegal immigration!” Governor DeSantis posted on X.
Great job enforcing our recently enacted legislation to fight illegal immigration! https://t.co/9k9yturgy2
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) March 13, 2025
This week, the Florida SBIE launched a portal for “concerned law enforcement officers and employees” to report failures by their agencies to comply with Florida immigration enforcement policies. The portal provides a contact form to report possible violations.
“This reporting system will provide a direct channel for officers and employees to report any failure by their agency to comply with Florida’s immigration enforcement policies,” Keefe said in a written statement. “Let there be no misunderstanding—Florida law will be enforced.”
Bob Price is the Breitbart Texas-Border team’s associate editor and senior news contributor. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s What’s Your Point? Sunday morning talk show. He also serves as president of Blue Wonder Gun Care Products.
