A Florida woman is facing more than a dozen criminal charges, including multiple counts of battery on a law enforcement officer, after being arrested during a confrontation with Florida Highway Patrol troopers and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents earlier this week.
Arrest footage shows Jennifer Cruz restrained outside a Mexican grocery store in Jacksonville while attempting to kick a female officer. The officer appeared to avoid contact, and Department of Homeland Security agents immediately forced Cruz onto the hood of a nearby vehicle. Video from the scene shows Cruz smiling moments before agents slammed her head against the hood.
After being placed in a patrol car, Cruz again attempted to kick the officers, according to arrest footage.
NEW: Anti-ICE agitator “finds out” after allegedly punching a Florida trooper, gets head slammed on the car hood before getting shoved in the car and tased.
“This is not Minneapolis,” Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said in response to the incident.
The woman, Jennifer Cruz, was… pic.twitter.com/NYDWVrbNoV
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 16, 2026
Jail records show Cruz was charged with the following offenses:
• Three counts of battery on a law enforcement officer
• Five counts of resisting an officer with violence
• Two counts of assault on a law enforcement officer
• One count of fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement
• One count of driving with a suspended license
• One count of threatening death or serious harm to a law enforcement officer
• One count of refusing to obey a law enforcement officer directing traffic
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier addressed Cruz’s arrest in a post on X, mocking her actions.
“Jennifer disagrees with immigration enforcement and decided to commit a few felonies by getting out of her car and punching a Trooper in the face,” Uthmeier wrote. “But unlike Minnesota, we don’t put up with this nonsense. Not today, Jennifer.”
Uthmeier’s post had drawn nearly three million views as of Friday afternoon.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis made similar remarks during a Thursday press conference, directly referencing Cruz’s arrest.
“This is not Minneapolis,” DeSantis said. “This is not gonna end well for you in Florida. You have a right to go out there and criticize government policy. You can go out there and protest within respected zones, but the idea that you’re going to assault one of our troopers is unacceptable, and you are going to face consequences as a result of that.”
🚨JUST IN: Governor Ron DeSantis warns Jacksonville woman Jennifer Cruz, who allegedly assaulted a trooper during immigration enforcement, that such actions won’t be tolerated in Florida. She now faces felony charges
“This is not Minneapolis. You are going to face consequences.” pic.twitter.com/dO7zBCrzB1
— DK🇺🇸🦅🇺🇸 (@1Nicdar) January 15, 2026
Juan Alvarez, who owns the Mi Pueblo supermarket, told News4JAX that ICE agents arrived after an FHP trooper conducted a traffic stop near the business.
“They detained a driver, the person was driving, and … they had an operation going on,” Alvarez said. “After that, they detained another person, but it seems they got into an altercation with that person. It turned violent, and that led to the presence of a lot of … federal enforcement showing up.”
It was not immediately clear whether Cruz is a U.S. citizen.
Cruz, who turns 41 in May, was released on bond. Her next court appearance is scheduled for February 4.
