ICE, Florida deport over 200 in 10-day operation targeting sex offenders, other criminals

Shira Moolten, South Florida Sun Sentinel on Nov 13, 2025

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MIRAMAR, Fla. — Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Florida law enforcement officials announced Thursday the deportations of more than 200 criminals, many of whom are sex offenders, as part of a 10-day operation across the state, touting Florida as the “model” for immigration enforcement across the country.

ICE Deputy Director Madison Sheahan spoke about the arrests of the “worst of the worst” criminals at a morning news conference at the ICE Miami facility in Miramar, joined by Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass, FDLE Director Melissa Bujeda, and State Board of Immigration Executive Director Anthony Coker.

Most of those deported had already served their criminal sentences in Florida and received final deportation orders but had not yet been removed from the country, officials said. Some were living freely in the community.

“As we’ve been working with the state of Florida, it only sets a model to the nation of what it looks like when the federal government and the state government is able to work together to effectuate a change,” Sheahan said.

The operation, which Sheahan dubbed “Operation Dirtbag” but the state dubbed “Operation Criminal Return,” resulted in the deportations of 164 “offenders of sexual crimes” and 54 “sexual predators,” Sheahan said, as well as two convicted murderers, one drug trafficker, and eight other “heinous felons.” Sheahan did not elaborate on the crimes committed by those deportees.

Officials described those arrested as “vicious criminals” preying on children within Florida’s local communities. They lauded the collaboration with local law enforcement under 287(g) agreements as necessary for the operation’s success. Glass did not say in respones to questions how many of the victims of the crimes were U.S. citizens, but emphasized that many of those arrested had violated state sex offender registry laws.

Many of those deported were on sex offender registries but had been living in the U.S. despite having deportation orders, Bujeda said.

Among those arrested are:

•Frank Rene Gacitaborges, 51, a Cuban citizen, arrested on Oct. 26. He was previously convicted of lewd and lascivious molestation of a child under 12 in Miami, for which he was sentenced to four years. An immigration judge had ordered him removed in 2022.

•Victor Julio Silva Diaz, 26, a Venezuelan citizen, arrested by ICE Miami on Nov. 5. He was previously convicted of aggravated sex abuse of a child under 13.

•Andrii Kurbatov, 45, a Ukrainian citizen, arrested by ICE Miami on Oct. 27. He was previously convicted of receipt and possession of child sex abuse material. An immigration judge ordered him removed in 2024.

•Sergio Velazquez Carnero, 63, a Cuban citizen, arrested on Nov. 4. He was previously convicted of lewd and lascivious assault on a child, contributing to the delinquency of a child, petit theft, and petit larceny. An immigration judge had ordered him removed in 2017.

•Saturnino Duran, 69, a Cuban citizen, arrested on Oct. 25. He was previously convicted of lewd and lascivious behavior with a minor and had a final order of removal from 2020.

•Vladimir Garcia, 48, a Cuban citizen, arrested on Oct. 25. He was previously convicted of lewd and lascivious batter on a child under 16 and violating sex offender registry requirements among other crimes.

•Aniel Chavez Cera, 30, a Cuban citizen, arrested on Oct. 29. He was previously convicted of attempted premeditated murder with a deadly weapon, among other charges. An immigration judge ordered him removed in 2022.

Gov. Ron DeSantis was scheduled to speak but did not appear due to plane issues, officials said.

In a video posted to X Thursday, he blamed the Biden administration for failing to deport criminals.

“They were allowed to just roam, no threat of serious deportation,” he said. Times have changed.”

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