By State Representative Meg Weinberger
The hardest part of being a foster mom is not the late nights or the paperwork. It is knowing how close so many children came to danger before anyone stepped in. I have seen the gap between what the system promises and what it delivers. I have held the hands of children hurt by adults who never should have been near them and helped them rebuild after trauma that may follow them for years. That shapes how I view everything involving child safety.
So when I learned what Operation Dirtbag uncovered, it carried the weight of every child who has ever trusted me with their story.
My family has welcomed foster children who have endured more than any child should, including abuse, neglect, and abandonment. I am a mother of two daughters who know the children I mentor are part of our family. Their safety guides every decision I make.
That is why the Department of Homeland Security announcement this week hit so hard.
Operation Dirtbag resulted in the arrest of more than 150 illegal alien sex predators in Florida and more than 230 additional criminal aliens placed into U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody awaiting deportation.
These were not minor offenders. They included individuals like Sergio Velazquez Carnero, convicted of fondling a child, Vladimir Garcia, convicted of lewd battery on a minor between 12 and 15, and Victor Julio Silva Diaz, sentenced for aggravated sexual abuse of a child. As Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated, “These individuals TARGETED CHILDREN.”
Thanks to President Donald Trump’s leadership and Florida 287(g) partnerships with local law enforcement, they are no longer in our communities.
As a foster mom, I believe in compassion and second chances for those who earn them. But if you enter this country illegally and then prey on a child, you lose any claim to remain here. No nation on Earth protects foreign criminals over its own children. The United States should not either.
We have seen the consequences of sanctuary policies, catch and release, and ignoring deportation orders. Preventable tragedies. Broken childhoods. Families lying awake, hoping the system does not fail another child.
Operation Dirtbag proves there is a better way. Florida demonstrated a model in which local officials identify criminal aliens, federal authorities take custody, and predators are removed from our streets. This approach must be expanded nationwide. Protecting children must come before politics.
Nationally, we are seeing a renewed focus on vulnerable children, especially those in foster care. Melania Trump has made their safety and well-being a priority in her Be Best initiative. She has spoken about the invisible wounds trauma leaves behind and the need for stability, trusted adults, and real protection.
Her commitment connects directly with what Operation Dirtbag represents. Law enforcement can remove predators, but children also need a system that heals them. Melania Trump has focused on expanding resources for foster children, supporting the families who take them in, and ensuring no child feels forgotten.
Operation Dirtbag protects children. Melania Trump’s work strengthens their future. Together, they provide a path forward.
Protect the child. Remove the predator. Support the family. Restore the system.
When leaders prioritize vulnerable children, agencies act. When states partner with law enforcement, communities are safer. When predators are removed and children are supported, young people finally have room to breathe, grow, and thrive.
I know what happens when protection fails. We must put American children first. Not ideology. Not political pressure. Not open borders.
My daughters and every child in this country deserve a nation that defends them fiercely and without hesitation.
Guest Author Meg Weinberger represents District 94 in the Florida House of Representatives. She is also a longtime foster care advocate.
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