TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis called out the Florida National Guard on Friday to help respond to the surge of migrants that have been arriving in South Florida by boat in recent weeks.
The sudden jump in migrant arrivals in the Florida Keys has overwhelmed local authorities and raised fears of a mass migration event. Almost 500 Cubans and 130 Haitians have arrived since Christmas.
DeSantis’ office told the Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times on Thursday afternoon that the governor was aware of the situation and was working on responding to it. By 4 p.m. on Friday, the Florida National Guard had been activated.
In a statement, DeSantis blamed President Joe Biden’s immigration policies for the jump in migrant arrivals. He said his policies put the burden on local law enforcement who “lack the resources to deal with this crisis.”
“That is why I am activating the National Guard and directing state resources to help alleviate the strain on local resources,” DeSantis said in a statement. “When Biden continues to ignore his legal responsibilities, we will step in to support our communities.”
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