Lottery Agents Arrest Undocumented Immigrant Over What They Found on His “Ticket”

• Florida: Lottery Ticket Under Investigation After Arrest
• Arrest Linked to ICE
• Reinforced Immigration Policy

An investigation into alleged fraud involving a lottery ticket led to the arrest of an undocumented immigrant in Miami, during an operation involving agents from the Florida Lottery. The case ended with the detainee being transferred into federal immigration custody.

The arrest took place as part of cooperation between state agencies and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a practice the Florida government has strengthened in recent months as part of its immigration policy.

Florida Investigates Lottery Ticket That Led to ICE Arrest

An Investigation That Ended in an Arrest

The events were confirmed by the Florida state government itself through its social media accounts.

According to official information, the operation was carried out last week in Miami during an investigation related to a reportedly fraudulent lottery ticket.

“Last week, special agents of the Florida Lottery, certified as ICE task force officers under the 287(g) agreement, apprehended an illegal alien during an investigation of a fraudulent lottery ticket in Miami,” the agency reported.

The statement did not detail how the alleged irregularity was detected or what the suspected fraud involved, but it made clear that the immigration intervention occurred within the context of that initial investigation.

No Identity or Clear Charges

State authorities did not disclose the identity or nationality of the detained man.

They also did not specify whether the immigrant has been formally charged with any crime related to the ticket under investigation.

After his arrest, the individual was transferred to an ICE detention center in Miramar, located in the greater Miami metropolitan area.

According to official information, the man remains in custody, although it was not clarified whether he faces additional criminal charges or if his legal situation is limited to immigration proceedings.

The Role of the 287(g) Agreement

The detention falls under the application of the 287(g) agreement, a program that allows state and local officers to collaborate directly with ICE in identifying and arresting individuals without lawful immigration status.

In Florida, this type of cooperation has been expanded and made mandatory by the state government. This has enabled agencies not traditionally involved in immigration enforcement—such as the Lottery—to participate in these operations.

DeSantis Praises the Migration Arrest

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis publicly highlighted the arrest as an example of the reach of his administration’s agenda against irregular immigration in the state.

“Even the Florida Lottery is doing its part to hold illegal aliens accountable,” said the Republican governor on X.

DeSantis has insisted that all state agencies must cooperate with ICE and sign 287(g) agreements. In that context, the governor recently noted that, according to his administration, 20,000 migrants have been detained in Florida over the past nine months.

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The issue was one of the central themes of his most recent “State of the State” address before the Florida Legislature, where he emphasized his government’s leadership in advancing an anti-immigration agenda at the national level.

SOURCE: EFE