Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced the deployment of more than two hundred officers and soldiers to protect the state from a possible influx of illegal immigration from Haiti caused by the escalating violence crisis in the Caribbean country.
This Wednesday, DeSantis issued a statement informing the public that, although several measures have already been implemented to combat illegal boats arriving in Florida from Haiti, the circumstances in the Caribbean nation continue to worsen. Therefore, it was decided to increase security measures.
"I have directed the Division of Emergency Management, the Florida State Guard, and state law enforcement agencies to deploy over 250 additional officers and soldiers and over a dozen air and sea craft to the southern coast of Florida to protect our state," the governor stated. "We cannot have illegal aliens coming to Florida," he added.
The statement explains that the additional personnel will be distributed as follows: the Florida State Guard in the Keys will have 133 additional soldiers to assist in the security operation. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement will also assign 39 additional officers and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will have 23 additional officers and eight additional boats. In addition, the Florida National Guard will send 48 additional guardsmen, accompanied by four additional helicopters. The Florida Highway Patrol will contribute 30 additional officers, an additional aircraft and drones for surveillance.
"Illegal immigrants feel empowered to enter the sovereign territory of the United States because of the federal government's refusal to diligently enforce our immigration laws and protect the integrity of the border. When a state faces the possibility of invasion, it has the right and duty to defend its territory and people. Under Governor Ron DeSantis, Florida will act," the statement said.
For quite some time, the State of Florida has been dedicating significant resources to combat illegal vessels coming to Florida from countries such as Haiti. Given the circumstances in Haiti, I have directed the Division of Emergency Management, the Florida State Guard, and state…
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) March 13, 2024
This measure comes in response to the latest episodes of violence and the crisis of governance in the Caribbean country, triggered by the summoning of the leader of a dangerous criminal gang to armed groups to act and achieve the resignation of the Haitian Prime Minister, Ariel Henry. The riots and threats eventually succeeded in getting Henry to resign, which exacerbated uncertainty in the country.
As the crisis in Haiti unfolds, the Biden Administration has taken steps to assist the Caribbean nation, including sending an anti-terrorism force to protect its embassy and donating $300 million to bolster security in Haiti. However, the Haitian crisis continues to pose a threat to U.S. borders.
Statement: U.S. Marine Fleet-Anti-terrorism Security Team (FAST) deployed to maintain strong security capabilities at the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. @USEmbassyHaitihttps://t.co/nKfIW6e7ZQ
— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) March 13, 2024
