TALLAHASSEE — Florida Governor Ron DeSantis ordered on Wednesday the dispatch of more than 250 police officers and soldiers to the Keys from Floridato help stop what he expects to be an increase in the number of Haitian migrants fleeing violence in their country.
The governor said in a news release that he will send a combination of officers from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission along with members of the Florida National Guard and the Florida State Guard to the waters. south of the state peninsula.
Haitians have been migrating to the United States in large numbers for several years, many following a devastating earthquake in 2010.
DeSantis said that for quite some time Florida has been allocating significant resources to combat illegal boats that come to the state from countries such as Haiti. Given the circumstances in that Caribbean nation, “I have directed the Division of Emergency Management, the Florida State Guard and state law enforcement agencies to deploy more than 250 additional officers and soldiers and more than a dozen air and sea vessels to the southern coast of Florida to protect our state.”
Haiti is experiencing an escalation of violence after a series of attacks by gang members that have paralyzed the country, forcing thousands of people to flee their homes, especially in Port-au-Prince, the capital city, where sea and air ports remain closed. Armed gangs took power in much of Port-au-Prince after the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in 2021 and now control about 80% of the city.
The U.N. World Food Program reported Tuesday that 4 million people face “acute food insecurity” and 1 million are one step away from famine.
As part of DeSantis’ order, the state will also deploy four helicopters, one plane, eight boats and drones to help intercept migrants.
Source: With information from AP / DLA EDITORIAL
