ICE at Florida Airports in 2026: What Tampa and Orlando Immigrants Need to Know

Written By Miguel Mora

This post covers a rapidly developing situation. Consult with a licensed immigration attorney about your specific situation before making any travel decisions.Last updated: March 24, 2026. All official source links are at the bottom.

For many immigrants in Tampa and across Florida, flying is not just travel. It is how you visit family across the country, attend immigration hearings in other cities, get to work, or bring your children home for a holiday. For years, domestic air travel was considered one of the lower-risk activities for immigrants navigating an uncertain legal environment. That has changed.

Over the past year, the federal government has quietly transformed U.S. airports into active immigration enforcement zones. A program operating since March 2025 has TSA sharing the names of every domestic air traveler with ICE multiple times per week. On March 23, 2026, President Trump went further, deploying ICE agents directly to airports across the country and publicly confirming that immigration arrests are part of the plan.

If you are an immigrant in Florida and you have a flight coming up, or if you are advising a family member about whether it is safe to travel, this guide explains exactly what is happening, what it means for Tampa and Orlando specifically, who faces the highest risk, and what your legal rights are if you are stopped. All official source links are at the bottom of this post.

Before you rely on this guide: This situation is developing rapidly. This post reflects conditions as of March 24, 2026. Call (813) 815-VISA for a free consultation with Tampa immigration attorney Miguel Mora before making any travel decisions.

Two Separate Things You Need to Understand

The physical deployment of ICE agents to airports began March 23, 2026. President Trump announced that ICE officers would be sent to airports across the country to help backstop Transportation Security Administration workers, who have been working without pay since the Department of Homeland Security shutdown began on February 14, 2026. As of March 23, 2026, 13 airports were confirmed to have received ICE agents, according to CNN. The only Florida airport on the initial list is Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers (RSW).

Tampa International Airport (TPA) and Orlando International Airport (MCO) are both confirmed as not on the initial deployment list. Tampa airport authorities told Bay News 9 on March 23 that they had "not been notified" of any plans to receive ICE officers. MCO told Spectrum News the same. However, both airports noted the situation is being monitored and the list is subject to change.

The 13 airports confirmed on the initial deployment list are:

  • Chicago O'Hare International Airport

  • Cleveland Hopkins International Airport

  • Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

  • Houston William P. Hobby Airport

  • John F. Kennedy International Airport (New York)

  • LaGuardia Airport (New York)

  • Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport

  • Luis Munoz Marin International Airport (San Juan, Puerto Rico)

  • Newark Liberty International Airport

  • Philadelphia International Airport

  • Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport

  • Pittsburgh International Airport

  • Southwest Florida International Airport (Fort Myers, Florida)

The TSA passenger data-sharing program has been operating since March 2025, over a year before the deployment announcement. Under this program, the Transportation Security Administration shares passenger manifests with ICE multiple times per week for every domestic flight at every airport in the country. ICE cross-references those lists against its deportation database and deploys agents to arrest people at airports before they board. This program applies to Tampa, Orlando, and every other U.S. airport regardless of whether ICE agents are physically stationed there.

The TSA Acting Director confirmed the program before Congress, describing it as "absolutely within our authorities." She drew a distinction between bulk data transfers and case-by-case verification, but the practical effect is the same: if you are on ICE's radar and you book a flight, ICE may know about it and have agents waiting.

What Trump said about arrests: When asked whether ICE agents at airports would make immigration arrests, Trump said yes, calling airports "very fertile territory." He added that arrests are not the primary reason ICE agents are there, but made clear they will happen. This is not speculation. It is on the record.

What ICE Agents Are Currently Doing at Airports

Based on confirmed reporting from Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson and other airports on the deployment list, ICE agents are:

  • Standing in passenger lines and monitoring crowd flow

  • Checking IDs before passengers reach the TSA security checkpoint

  • Guarding exit doors

They are not operating X-ray or baggage screening equipment, which requires TSA-specific training. They are not in TSA uniforms. At Trump's request, they are operating without masks and with visible insignia.

What they are authorized to do, and what Trump has explicitly confirmed, is arrest people for immigration violations while they are at airports for these crowd management duties.

Who Is at Highest Risk at Florida Airports Right Now

Not every immigrant faces equal risk at an airport. Based on guidance from NILC and other immigration law organizations, the following groups face the highest risk of arrest:

People with deportation or removal orders. If ICE has an active removal order on file for you, the TSA data-sharing program means ICE may identify you from the passenger manifest before you even arrive at the airport. This is the primary mechanism by which the TSA program has led to arrests.

TPS holders from terminated countries. If your TPS was terminated and you no longer have valid status (this includes nationals of Honduras, Nicaragua, Nepal, Afghanistan, and Cameroon, whose terminations were upheld), you are at significant risk. If your TPS is currently protected by a court order but no updated FLHSMV guidance exists, your situation is legally uncertain and traveling by air adds additional risk. Read our complete guide to current TPS status for Florida immigrants.

CHNV parole holders. If you entered through the Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, or Venezuela parole program and your parole has been terminated, you no longer have protected status. NILC specifically flags CHNV holders as high-risk at airports.

DACA holders. NILC has confirmed that DACA recipients have been detained at airports. Having DACA does not make you immune from arrest, particularly if you have any prior arrests or other risk factors in your record.

People with prior criminal arrests, even minor ones. ICE agents have broad authority to act on what they know from an immigration database. A prior arrest, even without a conviction, can appear in that database and elevate your risk.

Green card holders with certain criminal history. Lawful permanent residents are not immune. ICE can and does arrest green card holders who have certain criminal convictions, including in some cases convictions that occurred years ago and that the person was told would not affect their immigration status.

People with expired immigration documents. Expired EADs, expired parole documents, or other lapsed status documents create risk, even if the underlying status was valid at one point.

Your Rights at the Airport

Understanding your rights before you travel is the most important thing you can do. These are legal rights that apply at U.S. airports.

You have the right to remain silent. TSA agents and ICE officers can ask you questions, but you are not required to answer questions about your immigration status, your country of origin, or how long you have been in the United States. You can say clearly: "I choose to exercise my right to remain silent."

You have the right to speak with an attorney before answering questions. If you are detained or placed under arrest, you have the right to request an attorney. Say clearly: "I want to speak with an attorney." Do not answer questions until you have done so.

Do not sign anything without an attorney present. ICE may present you with forms during or after a stop. Signing certain documents, including voluntary departure forms, can waive your right to a hearing before an immigration judge and result in your removal within days. Do not sign anything under pressure without legal counsel.

Know the difference between a judicial warrant and an administrative warrant. If an ICE agent presents a warrant, look at it carefully. A Form I-200 (Warrant for Arrest of Alien) or Form I-205 (Warrant of Removal/Deportation) is an administrative warrant signed by an ICE officer, not a judge. An administrative warrant does not carry the same legal force as a judicial warrant signed by a federal judge.

Carry your attorney's contact number and your A-Number. Before any trip, write down the phone number of your immigration attorney and your Alien Registration Number (A-Number) if you have one. Leave this information with a trusted family member as well. If you are detained, your attorney should be your first call.

Florida Context: The Highest ICE Enforcement State in the Country

For Tampa Bay immigrants, this is not an abstract national story. Florida leads the entire country in ICE arrests in 2026. The Miami ICE Field Office, which covers all of Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, is averaging approximately 120 arrests per day in 2026, with nearly 10,000 total as of March 10, according to New York Times data. That outpaces every other ICE field office in the country, including Dallas, New Orleans, and Houston.

Florida's Operation Tidal Wave, established through 287(g) partnerships between state law enforcement and ICE, has produced over 10,000 arrests. The state has more local law enforcement partnerships with ICE than any other state in the country.

The airport enforcement story is unfolding against this backdrop. Airports in a state with 120 ICE arrests per day operate in a different risk environment than airports in states with lower enforcement intensity, regardless of whether any specific airport appears on a deployment list.

A Note on Tampa and Orlando Specific Airport Data

There is no publicly available breakdown of ICE arrests by location type, meaning no published statistics exist on how many of Florida's arrests have occurred specifically at Tampa International Airport or Orlando International Airport versus streets, workplaces, courthouses, or jails. The TSA data-sharing program operates without public reporting on its results. If specific data becomes available, we will update this post.

What to Do Before You Travel

If you have an upcoming flight and your immigration status is in any way uncertain, do the following before going to the airport:

  • Confirm your current status with an immigration attorney

  • Check whether ICE has an active removal order on file for you by calling the EOIR court line at 1-800-898-7180 or checking the EOIR case lookup tool (link at bottom)

  • Do not travel with documents you cannot explain or that reflect expired or terminated status as your only form of ID

  • Leave your attorney's name, number, and your A-Number with a trusted family member

  • If you have any prior arrests, criminal charges or criminal convictions, speak with an immigration attorney before traveling

  • Know the words: "I am exercising my right to remain silent. I want to speak with my attorney."

If you were detained at an airport or any other location, or if you have a removal order and are not sure what your options are, contact Mora Immigration Group Tampa immediately.

How Mora Immigration Group Tampa Can Help

If you or a family member are facing removal, have an outstanding deportation order, or are unsure whether it is safe to travel, an immigration attorney can evaluate your specific situation and help you understand your options. Removal defense is one of the most time-sensitive areas of immigration law. The sooner you have legal counsel, the more options are available to you.

Tampa immigration attorney Miguel Mora represents clients in removal defense, asylum, TPS, DACA, and family-based cases throughout Tampa Bay and nationwide.

Official Sources and Related Resources

Current Situation

Immigration Court and Case Status

  • EOIR Case Status Lookup (enter your A-Number): acis.eoir.justice.gov

  • EOIR Court Information Line: 1-800-898-7180

Know Your Rights

Mora Immigration Group Tampa — Related Pages

Tampa immigration attorney Miguel Mora is licensed to practice law by the State of Illinois (attorney registration #6304434), and focuses exclusively on federal immigration matters. Call (813) 815-VISA or schedule a free consultation.

Attorney advertising. This post is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The situation described in this post is developing rapidly and may have changed since publication. Consult with a licensed immigration attorney about your specific situation before making any travel decisions.

Miguel Mora https://migmora.com
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