In response to the influx of seaborne migrants into his state–primarily into the Florida Keys–as reported on here on January 3, Gov. Ron DeSantis today activated the state National Guard. In addition, DeSantis directed state law enforcement personnel to assist local officials in dealing with the crisis. In a statement containing a scathing rebuke to the Biden administration, DeSantis said:
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. 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.
DeSantis said the nearly daily arrivals have been particularly troublesome for the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, which said this week that the influx is hampering its efforts to provide adequate safety for the citizenry.
Earlier today, CBP agent Walter N. Slosar tweeted that in just the past 24 hours, five “rustic vessels” containing Cuban “asylum seekers” had been spotted landing in the Keys. The 90 illegals on these boats join the more than 8,000 encountered on the Florida coast since August.
DeSantis’s executive order also cites the stunning figure of 460,000 encounters of illegals in just the first two months of the current fiscal year.
For more, see WPTV website.