COCOA, Fla. — Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, with the support of Brevard County deputies, have ramped up enforcement operations across Florida’s Space Coast, detaining workers in the construction and landscaping industries and sparking concern among residents and immigrant advocates.

The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that it assisted federal immigration authorities during a Tuesday operation in Cocoa. According to eyewitnesses, one raid occurred at an apartment complex on Clearlake Road, where a construction crew was detained. Cell phone footage and photographs shared with FOX 35 show law enforcement vehicles outside the Oak Meadows leasing office, and at least one vehicle being towed from the site.

In a separate incident earlier this month, images provided to the media show landscape workers detained by ICE and sheriff’s deputies near State Road 520 and Blake Avenue. These events are part of what some residents describe as a growing pattern of visible immigration enforcement in local communities.

“Nobody should be fearful of living day to day in their homes or going to work,” said Amaya Ruiz, a community member concerned about how the arrests are impacting families.

The full scope of the arrests remains unclear. Officials have not disclosed how many individuals were detained or whether those arrested had pending warrants beyond immigration-related issues. It’s also unknown if ICE notified any family members of those taken into custody.

Legal experts warn that both workers and employers are at risk. Under Florida law, employers with 25 or more employees are required to use E-Verify to confirm workers' immigration status.

“For employers that have more than 25 employees they have to do mandatory E-Verify to make sure they’re not hiring undocumented workers,” said civil attorney Carlos Martin of Forest Lake Law.

In response to increasing immigration enforcement, Florida Congressman Maxwell Frost introduced new federal legislation on Wednesday aimed at improving transparency around detention actions.

“This bill is a step towards pulling back the curtain on our immigration and detention system,” said Frost of the proposed Stop Unlawful Detention and End Mistreatment (SUDEM) Act, which would require ICE to publicly share more information about arrests and detainees.

However, not all lawmakers agree with the push for greater oversight. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson emphasized the need to support ICE agents in their current work.

“It's a patriotic duty. They're understaffed. They're overwhelmed with the workload. They're trying to go after the dangerous criminal illegal aliens,” Johnson said.

The stepped-up enforcement reflects both national and state-level policy shifts that emphasize border security and employer accountability. Florida in particular has enacted strict laws around employment verification and immigrant status, placing added pressure on industries like construction and landscaping that often rely on immigrant labor.

Residents in the Cocoa area say the visible presence of immigration agents is sowing fear among both workers and families, particularly in apartment complexes and job sites.

As debate continues in Congress, the communities on Florida’s Space Coast are witnessing firsthand the impacts of shifting immigration enforcement priorities — with real consequences for workers, businesses, and neighborhoods alike.

Originally reported by Esther Bower in Fox 35 Orlando News.