“We cannot have illegal aliens coming to Florida,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis posted on X in the face of a threat of a massive influx of refugees from violence-torn Haiti.
In anticipation of the rush, DeSantis has beefed up security by the Florida National Guard and state agencies, including law enforcement and the Florida State Guard.
“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,” the governor posted.
“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 sea craft to the southern coast of Florida to protect our state.
“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,” according to DeSantis.
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
A separate statement from the governor’s office also listed mobilization of members of the National Guard along with helicopters.
Did DeSantis do the right thing?
Haiti has been overrun by violent gangs, and the strife resulted in the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry.
Haitians are facing food shortages and homelessness, Politico reported.
Ongoing violence in Haiti has resulted in Haitians taking to the sea, often attempting a Caribbean voyage of some 700 miles to Florida, frequently coming ashore in the Florida Keys.
While not yet underway, Federal officials are anticipating such a migration, Rebecca Zimmerman, a Department of Defense official, told the House Armed Services Committee Tuesday while being questioned by Florida GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz.
Meanwhile, a state legislator, Rep. Dotie Joseph, who represents North Miami and is among more than one-quarter of a million people in Florida who were born in Haiti, said, “The instability in Haiti impacts every Haitian throughout the diaspora.
“It’s something that weighs heavily on all of our hearts and creates a feeling of helplessness because we all want to help and the path to a solution is not crystal clear,” according to Joseph.
Haitan-American Florida Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick said U.S. failure to act would result in a security risk in the U.S., according to Politico.
In addressing the House Armed Services Committee, Zimmerman said the Department of Defense is increasing aid to the U.S. Coast Guard, to which Gaetz called for support from the U.S. Navy.
“I’ve talked to the Coast Guard,” Gaetz said, “and what they say would really support them would be more naval vessels.”
“There’s specific legal authorities that we can access, that I would implore you to access,” Gaetz continued.
“Specifically, George W. Bush signed Executive Order 13276, and in that executive order, there is the ability for any president to designate an anticipated mass migration, and then get grey-hulled naval vessels into the Straits of Florida to deter that migration, and then to repatriate those people before they get to Florida.”
DeSantis has blamed the federal government for failure to protect the U.S. border.
“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,” according to a statement from the governor’s office.
“When a state faces the possibility of invasion, it has the right and duty to defend its territory and people. Under Gov. Ron DeSantis, Florida will act,” the statement said.
