122 Florida Children Rescued in Statewide Operation Home for the Holidays

November 17, 2025 | BY: TOMAS LARES

122 Florida Children Rescued in Statewide Operation Home for the Holidays

November 2025 | By United Abolitionists

Florida has taken decisive action to protect vulnerable children. In what has been called one of the largest child rescue missions in American history, Operation Home for the Holidays located and recovered 122 missing or endangered youth across the state.

The two-week operation was led by the U.S. Marshals Service, the Florida Attorney General’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Department of Children and Families, and the Department of Juvenile Justice, with support from multiple nonprofit partners.

What the Operation Found

According to officials, many of the children rescued were victims of trafficking, abuse, or unsafe home environments. Others were located in different states after being reported missing.

Key outcomes include:

122 children recovered statewide
Children ranged from 23 months to 17 years old
57 located in Tampa
14 in Orlando
22 in Jacksonville
29 in Fort Myers
Rescues reported across nine additional states
Six adults arrested, with more charges expected

This multi-city effort shows both the scale of the crisis and the urgency of continued collaboration between law enforcement, child protection agencies, and frontline organizations.

State Leaders Issue Strong Warning

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier emphasized the state’s commitment to protecting children, stating:

“Child predators, stay out of Florida. You are not welcome here. If you come here, we will hold you accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

Leaders from partnering agencies echoed the same resolve:

U.S. Marshals Service highlighted the importance of intelligence sharing and unified action.
FDLE emphasized the success of gathering leads and coordinating across jurisdictions.
DCF and DJJ reinforced their commitment to connecting recovered children with essential services and long-term safety planning.

A Victory for Child Protection

Operation Home for the Holidays demonstrates what is possible when agencies and organizations come together with urgency and shared purpose. These efforts resulted in 122 children now safe, with access to services that can support healing and recovery.

While this operation is a major victory, the fight is far from over. Human trafficking and child exploitation remain widespread challenges that require ongoing commitment.

UA encourages everyone to stay informed, report suspicious activity, and support the organizations working daily to protect Florida’s youth.

For the full article from FOX 35 Orlando, please click here.

Together we can stop human trafficking!

Freedom 4ALL,

United Abolitionists