Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an executive order calling on the National Guard to crack down on migrants sailing into the Sunshine State as he blasts Joe Biden.
DeSantis activated the state National Guard in response to 90 Cuban migrants who were apprehended after a series of five landings in the Florida Keys over the last 24 hours.
‘As the negative impacts of Biden’s lawless immigration policies continue unabated, the burden of the Biden administration’s failure falls on local law enforcement who lack the resources to deal with the crisis,’ DeSantis said.
‘That is why I am activating the National Guard and directing state resources to help alleviate the strain on local resources. When Biden continues to ignore his legal responsibilities, we will step in to support our communities.’
The move comes after at least 500 migrants arrived in waves earlier this week due to soaring inflations and food shortages in Cuba.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called on the National Guard to crack down on migrants sailing into the Sunshine State as hundreds of Cuban immigrants have entered the state in recent days
DeSantis (above) slammed the Biden Administration for its ‘failure’ to assist local law enforcement overwhelmed by the influx of migrants
Pictured: Dozens of migrants waiting to be processed at the US Customs and Border Protection Station in Florida on Thursday
In his executive order, DeSantis’ office explained that the new influx of migrants has taken its toll on the local Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, which has 194 deputies who are ill-equipped to handle the hundreds of migrants arriving.
DeSantis said the Biden Administration has been ‘inept’ at providing Florida with the necessary tools to handle the mass migration, so the state National Guard is needed to ease the burden on local law enforcement.
Through the National Guard, planes and helicopters will be deployed to deter migrants whenever possible, but they will also allow those attempting to reach Florida to at least travel safely and avoid any loss of life.
Officials have expressed their fears for the migrants who travel on battered boats after a cruise ship rescued 24 immigrants who were stranded at sea earlier this week.
‘Florida has a long history of helping refugees, including Cubans and others fleeing communist regimes, find support after they arrive in the United States, however, this has always involved support from the Federal Government and a large, coordinated effort amongst state, federal and local governments,’ DeSantis said in the order.
The governor added that since last August, law enforcement has encountered more than 8,000 migrants in the waters off the Florida coast.
At least five landings occurred over the last 24 hours as the wave of migration continues
At least 90 migrants were caught on Friday traveling in battered boats
After arriving in the Florida Keys, the migrants wait at the border station in Marathon
DeSantis’ office said more than 8,000 migrants have crossed since last August
Economic turmoil, food shortages and soaring inflation in Cuba and other parts of the Caribbean is spurring the most recent wave of migration.
About 6,180 Cubans were intercepted at sea by the US Coast Guard in the 2022 fiscal year, according to Reuters. The fiscal year ended in September, but about 3,000 more migrants arrived in mid-December.
Meanwhile, 220,000 Cubans were caught after fleeing to the US-Mexico border last year.
Over the weekend, 300 migrants arrived at the sparsely populated Dry Tortugas National Park, about 70 miles west of Key West.
The Florida National Guard will work to try and deter migration while ensuring the safety of those traveling in dangerous conditions
A group of Cuban migrants from the city of Matanzas, were seen standing in the sun while in the middle of Duck Key, Florida
Separately, 160 migrants arrived by boats in other parts of the Florida Keys over the New Year’s Day weekend, officials said.
On Monday, 30 people in two new groups of migrants were found in the Middle Keys.
The park was closed so that law enforcement and medical personnel could evaluate the group before moving them to Key West, the park tweeted.
The new influx of migrants sailing into Florida led to the Biden administration announcing that the US would start to turn away Cubans, Haitians and Nicaraguans who cross the waters illegally.
Border patrol officers on the southern border of the United States recorded 233,740 illegal immigrants crossing over from Mexico in November- a 33 percent increase from 2021
Biden also explained in his address Thursday that cell phone apps would now be used to streamline the immigration process.
Migrants making asylum claims will have to download an app called ‘CBPOne’ and make an appointment outside the country before showing up at a U.S. port of entry, including airports.
Migrants can also use the U.S.’s parole program to have someone inside of the country sponsor them.
They would then go through a background check, Biden explained, and if their application is approved they would use the same ‘CBPOne’ app and present that at a port of entry.
