Image Credit: Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office 
An illegal alien from Mexico is facing significant charges following a vicious assault on a law enforcement officer in Florida this week.
On Monday, a Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) trooper conducted a traffic stop for an improperly displayed tag in Hillsborough County.
The trooper learned a male passenger in the vehicle was illegally present in the U.S. and prepared to detain him.
Leonardo Gomez Hernandez, 40, resisted arrest and attempted to flee on foot.
The trooper deployed his taser, but Gomez Hernandez continued to fight back, punching and choking the officer.
FHP backup arrived and troopers were able to take Gomez Hernandez into custody.
Authorities determined Gomez Hernandez is a citizen of Mexico who illegally entered the U.S. at an unknown location and date.
He will be charged with Resisting an Officer with Violence and Battery on a Law Enforcement Officer, both second-degree felonies due to his status as an illegal alien, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced on Thursday.
“Florida will not tolerate violent criminals — especially those who shouldn’t even be in our country — attacking our law enforcement officers,” AG Uthmeier stated.
“Our troopers risk their lives to keep this state safe, and those who think they can assault a Florida officer will face the full weight of the law.”
FHP troopers have been authorized to enforce certain U.S. immigration laws via Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s 287(g) program.
Law enforcement agencies across Florida have signed more 287(g) partnerships than 41 other U.S. states and territories combined.
