As thousands of illegal alien migrants from Haiti begin pouring into Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis said that authorities had caught 25 military-aged Haitians carrying firearms, night vision gear, and drugs.
A Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) crew intercepted a boat while patrolling near Sebastian Inlet last week, which was believed to be “a human smuggling” vessel.
“That vessel was interdicted,” DeSantis said.
“Those illegal aliens were turned over to the Coast Guard for deportation.”
Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL): “Given the situation that’s happening in Haiti, some brutal reports…we have authorized additional officers…The last thing you should want to do is get on some boat and think you’re going to come through from any of these islands to get to…Florida.” pic.twitter.com/8nUP8txEOK
— The Recount (@therecount) March 15, 2024
Investigators found 25 individuals on board the boat, including weapons, night vision gear, drugs, and five unaccompanied children.
Two of the boat’s occupants were identified as United States citizens, one of whom was the
vessel’s operator.
The influx of Haitian “illegal aliens” comes amid growing violence in the country as criminal gangs led by “Barbeque’ fight for power following the recent resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry.
While Haiti has been in crisis for quite some time, the recent events took an even worse turn after the assassination of previous President Jovenel Moise in 2021.
According to one source, the influx of migrants from Haiti will only worsen.
“People are trying to flee Haiti to places like the U.S., and the situation is likely going to get worse as the violence continues,” they said.
“Activists will tell you immigration from Haiti to the U.S. is closely tied to the situation inside the country, including the insecurity.”
“More insecurity in Haiti means more people will try to go to the U.S. to save their lives. We are already seeing this.”
In preparation for the influx of migrants, DeSantis deployed 250 additional officers and soldiers to the state’s borders with the ocean.
The Florida governor also sent boats and aircraft to prepare for the “possibility of invasion.”
“Given the circumstances in Haiti, 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 seacraft to the southern coast of Florida to protect our state,” DeSantis said.
“No state has done more to supplement the (under-resourced) U.S. Coast Guard’s interdiction efforts; we cannot have illegal aliens coming to Florida.”
One Florida resident, a legal Haitian immigrant who has lived in the state for over 30 years, said the armed groups in the country had killed his brother and cousin.
“I’m afraid gangs will kill them. They don’t care,” said Jean Jacques.
“I cry and cry. I don’t know what’s going to happen.”
