The federal government is preventing massive numbers of Haitian illegal immigrants from landing by boat in this red state

Border Patrol agents arrested more than 100 Haitian illegal immigrants trying to land on U.S. soil in Florida on Wednesday, a crossing that renewed concerns about an oft-overlooked part of the current migrant crisis.

“At approximately 4 a.m., U.S. Border Patrol agents, with support from federal, state and local law enforcement partners, responded to a migrant landing and encountered 118 Haitian migrants,” said Samuel Briggs, Miami Sector Chief Patrol Agent. The incident occurred in Key West.

It is the latest arrest by authorities of people trying to cross into the United States by boat. Earlier this month, 305 people from Haiti and the Bahamas were intercepted by the Coast Guard. It was part of an operation that intercepted nearly 12,000 migrants in fiscal 2023.

DHS Warns Haitian Illegal Immigrants Arriving by Boat They Risk ‘IMMEDIATE REPATRIATION’

As unrest continues in Haiti, where gangs attacked prisons, burned police stations and invaded the capital earlier this year, authorities have stepped up their presence, fearing it could fuel migration by boat.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced in March the deployment of soldiers and officers, as well as planes and boats to “protect” the state from boats carrying illegal immigrants.

“Given the circumstances in Haiti, I have directed the Division of Emergency Management, the Florida State Guard and state law enforcement to deploy more than 250 additional officers and troops and more than a dozen aircraft and planes to the South Florida coast to protect our state,” he said.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has been equally forceful in its language and has stated that those who enter illegally will be removed.

“U.S. policy is to return noncitizens who do not fear persecution or torture or who do not have a legal basis for entering the United States. Persons prohibited at sea are subject to immediate repatriation consistent with our long-standing policy and procedures,” a spokesperson told Fox News. Digital in March. “The United States returns or repatriates migrants interdicted at sea to the Bahamas, Cuba, Dominican Republic and Haiti.”

The DHS, however, stressed that migration flows across the Caribbean remain low.

DESANTIS SENDS SOLDIERS, PLANES TO “PROTECT” FLORIDA FROM BOATS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AMID UNREST IN HAITI

“All irregular migration journeys, particularly maritime routes, are extremely dangerous, unforgiving, and often result in loss of life. DHS will continue to enforce U.S. laws and policies throughout the Florida Straits and the Caribbean region” , said a spokesperson.

Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital on Wednesday that this was the latest example of the consequences of the border crisis and called on the administration to implement a strategy to deal with the Haitian crisis, saying she had resisted. as the country descended into “chaos”.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE ON THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS

“As a representative of the Florida Keys, the safety of our community is threatened by another massive migration event from Haiti due to rampant gang violence and the mass release of thousands of violent criminals from the nation’s prisons” , did he declare.

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“Florida is a border state and this ship carrying 118 Haitian nationals is just the latest example of how Biden’s border crisis is impacting communities across the country. I demand that the Biden administration implement a comprehensive strategy to address the unrest in Haiti and prevent this security crisis. to impact South Florida families.