A major immigration enforcement operation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) led to the detention of over 100 undocumented immigrants Thursday morning at a construction site in College Town, near Florida State University.
The raid took place at the worksite of Perla, a student housing project scheduled for completion in Fall 2026. According to ICE officials, many of those taken into custody had previously been deported and re-entered the U.S. illegally. The detained individuals are nationals of Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Colombia, and Honduras.
More than half the construction crew was reportedly taken away in buses, halting work and casting uncertainty over the project timeline. Family members and bystanders gathered near the site, watching as their loved ones were handcuffed and escorted away.
“I’m atonic. I’m surprised but I’m not surprised. They have families, they have pets, you know,” said Larisa Cladakis, who works next to the site.
She recalled noticing law enforcement presence early in the morning and said more vehicles arrived shortly afterward.
Hedrick Brothers Construction, the company overseeing the Perla project, said it is fully cooperating with authorities and reaffirmed its compliance with E-Verify employment requirements.
“We require all independent subcontractors to follow the same legal standards as outlined in our contractual agreements,” the company said in a statement.
ICE confirmed that multiple search warrants were served as part of an ongoing investigation in the Tallahassee region. No specific arrest numbers or charges have been released yet.
Local Law Enforcement Not Involved
The Tallahassee Police Department stated it was not involved in the operation. The Florida Highway Patrol provided support during the raid but has not released further details.