Gov. Ron DeSantis is increasing security in South Florida, including the Keys, in anticipation of increased migration from Haiti, which is facing a spiral of violence and unrest. Immigrant groups in South Florida criticized the decision.
The governor’s office said in a news release Wednesday that the state has the right to defend itself against “the potential for invasion.”
It is sending more than 250 law enforcement officers, a mix of officers from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, as well as members of the Guard National Guard and Florida State Guard in the area.
Haitian migrants have been trying for years to reach Florida by boat from this poor country. DeSantis already sent public resources to the Keys last year in what he called an attempt to stop migrants. He issued an order Wednesday for additional personnel as well as planes and boats after the escalation of violence in Haiti in recent days.
But so far, the Coast Guard has not seen an increase in migrant smuggling in the waters off Florida.
“Right now, no, there’s nothing out of the ordinary,” Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Stephen Lehmann said in Miami. “We have resources in the region and we will be ready if we see an influx. »
The Coast Guard has repatriated 131 migrants found at sea to Haiti since Oct. 1, including 65 on Tuesday who were found on a boat near the Bahamas last week, according to a news release.
The Florida Immigrant Coalition and others criticized the governor’s actions Thursday, calling them “shortsighted and counterproductive.”
“It is crucial to recognize that the crisis in Haiti is not just an immigration issue but a humanitarian crisis that requires a comprehensive and compassionate response,” the coalition said in its statement.
“The proposed deployment of more than 250 Florida State Officers and Florida National Guard Soldiers is an inappropriate militarized response intended to intimidate Haitian immigrants who have already experienced immeasurable trauma,” said Marleine Bastien, Executive Director of the Family Action Network Movement. She is also from Miami. -Commissioner Dade and long-time advocate for the Haitian community in South Florida.
“It is human beings – mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, sons and daughters – who seek refuge from the murders, kidnappings and rapes perpetrated by gangs in Haiti, not “illegal aliens » against which the Florida National Guard must “protect” Florida. and ‘stand up for your people,’ as Governor DeSantis described it,” Bastien said.
State Rep. Dotie Joseph, D-North Miami, said DeSantis should stem the flow of illegal gun shipments to Haiti to deprive local gangs of the weapons they use to terrorize the country.
“We know that the weapons – none of which are manufactured in Haiti – are being shipped from the United States, and primarily from Florida,” she said in a statement. “Rather than harassing refugees who are literally fleeing for their lives, state government can focus its law enforcement resources on ensuring that shipments from Florida are properly screened for weapons and illegal ammunition.”
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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