Efforts by Florida to thwart illegal immigration from Haiti were underway prior to announcements by Gov. Ron DeSantis this week of his state’s increased security efforts.
A vessel from Haiti was intercepted two weeks ago with 25 refugees aboard, DeSantis said during a news conference in Winter Haven on Friday.
These Haitian refugees did not present the typical image of ragged people huddled on a makeshift raft of lashed-together innertubes and 50-gallon drums.
Rather, video showed an apparently well-equipped boat with four large outboard marine motors.
Onboard with the refugees were guns, drugs and night vision equipment, DeSantis said.
Trending:
He said the Haitians were turned over to the U.S. Coast Guard for deportation.
Despite Florida’s beefed-up security, the governor and former GOP presidential candidate lamented the relative ease by which Haitians could get to Mexico and then walk across the border with essentially the blessing of President Joe Biden and his administration.
“Our Florida Fish and Wildlife officers interdicted a vessel that had 25 illegal immigrants — potential illegal immigrants — from Haiti in their boat,” DeSantis said.
“In their vessel they had firearms, they had drugs, they had night vision gear and were boating very recklessly, which would potentially endanger other folks,” he said.
BREAKING: Gov. Ron DeSantis announces Florida agents have interdicted a vessel that had 25 suspected illegal aliens from Haiti
“They had firearms, they had drugs […] That vessel was interdicted [and] those illegal aliens were turned over to the Coast Guard for deportation.” pic.twitter.com/LIRBuEwFiO
— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) March 15, 2024
Authorities stopped the boat at Sebastian Inlet on Florida’s Atlantic coast, about 80 southeast of Orlando.
Joining Florida Fish and Wildlife officers who made the interdiction were other agencies, including the Indian River County Sheriff’s Department, which on March 1 released a video showing the stopped craft.
Although initial reports indicated 24 immigrants were aboard the vessel, DeSantis said there were 25. The date of the incident shown in the video was Feb. 29.
On Wednesday, DeSantis announced more border security efforts on the part of state agencies, including the Florida State Guard and the Florida National Guard.
On Friday, he signed three bills to combat illegal immigration.
Last year, I signed the toughest anti-illegal immigration legislation in the country. Today, I signed three more bills to build on the work we have done to protect Floridians from the impacts of the border crisis. pic.twitter.com/oZHpYvyzFR
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) March 15, 2024
“Our folks have been doing this [enforcement] before we augmented this [increased effort],” the governor said during the news conference.
“And they’re going to continue to do it, and we’ve got an incredible amount of resources that are now on display to be able to prevent [illegal immigration],” he continued.
“Now what’s different today than maybe in the past?” DeSantis said. “Well, part of it is we have more resources that the state has been willing to put up.
Should the United States allow more Haitian migrants in?
“And this is not really our responsibility – this is the federal government’s responsibility. Coast Guard does by and large a good job, but they’re undermanned, they’re underresourced. So we’re filling those gaps.
“I think one difference now is — and we see this with our folks that we have at the border — you have people coming across the southern border from all over the world. Haitians can get to the United States easier by flying to Mexico and walking across the border.”
The governor predicted when flights resume from Haiti, most refugees will fly to Mexico “and then come in through the border, knowing that Biden will just let everybody in.”
And on it goes, as every world crisis seemingly allows Biden and other Democrats to secure more illegal-immigrants-to-be-turned-into-party-voters in their continuing efforts to remain in power and undermine the republic.
