Florida Troopers Stretched Thin Amid DeSantis' Immigration Crackdown

High response times and aging equipment plague the Florida Highway Patrol as it takes on new duties.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) is facing historic understaffing and longer response times, exacerbated by new duties assigned by Governor Ron DeSantis, including immigration enforcement and Spring Break patrols. FHP advisers and union leaders say the agency is struggling to keep up with growing highways and responsibilities, leading to dangerous delays in responding to emergencies. DeSantis has proposed pay raises but has not increased staffing levels, leaving troopers overworked and lacking resources.

Why it matters

The staffing and resource challenges facing the FHP raise concerns about public safety on Florida's roads. Longer response times to accidents and emergencies put lives at risk, while the diversion of troopers to immigration enforcement duties detracts from their core mission of highway patrol. This issue highlights the tensions between political priorities and public safety needs.

The details

FHP is currently staffed at around 1,256 sworn troopers, with 138 vacancies, far below the 1,982 sworn positions the agency is authorized. This understaffing, combined with new duties such as border patrol and synagogue security, has led to unacceptable response times, with some drivers waiting over an hour for assistance after accidents. The agency has also struggled with aging equipment, including motorcycles with over 150,000 miles. DeSantis has proposed a 20-25% pay increase for troopers, but union leaders say this is more of a cost-of-living adjustment and does not address the staffing shortages.

  • In August 2023, a couple in Niceville, Florida waited 90 minutes for a Florida Highway Patrol trooper to respond after their car was struck by lightning on Interstate 10.
  • In 2024, the Florida Highway Patrol spent over $13.5 million on a deployment of troopers to the U.S.-Mexico border to assist with immigration enforcement.
  • In March 2024, a Florida state representative raised concerns about the FHP's $10.3 million in overtime pay that year.
  • In May 2025, Governor DeSantis announced a proposed 20-25% increase in trooper pay, but the final budget only included a modest raise and no increase in staffing levels.

The players

Michael Heald

A resident of Niceville, Florida who experienced a long delay in getting assistance from the Florida Highway Patrol after his car was struck by lightning on Interstate 10 in 2023.

Ron DeSantis

The Governor of Florida who has assigned new duties to the Florida Highway Patrol, including immigration enforcement and Spring Break patrols, exacerbating staffing and resource challenges.

Paul Novack

A member of the Florida Highway Patrol Advisory Council who has criticized the agency's response times and the diversion of troopers to immigration enforcement duties.

Spencer Ross

The president of the Florida Highway Patrol chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 198, who has highlighted the agency's staffing and resource challenges.

Randy Maggard

A Republican state representative from Dade City, Florida who raised concerns about the Florida Highway Patrol's high overtime costs during a legislative meeting.

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What they’re saying

“Response times are unacceptable. You've got the public waiting an hour for a trooper to come to routine accidents. It puts lives in needless danger.”

— Paul Novack, FHP Advisory Council member (USA Today Network)

“It's just wrong to use these troopers as props. The problem comes right down to politics over public safety. Three thousand annual deaths on the highway is nothing that should be ignored.”

— Paul Novack, FHP Advisory Council member (USA Today Network)

“It's called the Florida Highway Patrol. Maybe we need to ask why they're called that and not the Florida Immigration Patrol.”

— Paul Novack, FHP Advisory Council member (USA Today Network)

What’s next

The Florida Legislature is expected to consider additional funding and staffing increases for the Florida Highway Patrol in the upcoming budget cycle, in an effort to address the agency's resource challenges and improve public safety on the state's roads.

The takeaway

The staffing and resource issues facing the Florida Highway Patrol highlight the tensions between political priorities and public safety needs. As the state's population and highways continue to grow, the FHP must be adequately funded and staffed to fulfill its core mission of protecting motorists, rather than being diverted to immigration enforcement duties. Addressing these challenges will require a balanced approach that prioritizes the safety and well-being of all Floridians.