Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued a warning to Haitians fleeing their gang-controlled country for South Florida. He mentioned they might end up in Martha's Vineyard through Florida's transport program. DeSantis shared this on Dana Loesch's podcast, highlighting the potential destination for Haitians landing in the Florida Keys.
"We do have our transport program also that’s going to be operational," DeSantis said Tuesday during an appearance on Dana Loesch's podcast.
"Haitians land in the Florida Keys – their next stop very well may be Martha’s Vineyard."
Florida, situated about 850 miles from Haiti, has seen a surge of migrants arriving by boat due to unrest in Haiti. DeSantis announced an increase in personnel and aircraft to manage the situation and anticipate more arrivals.
The governor explained the challenges of deporting migrants directly to their home countries. Federal restrictions complicate sending migrants back, prompting Florida to intercept them before they land. This strategy aims to manage the situation more effectively given Florida's maritime position.
"The problem when you get to a situation like Florida is if they have people in our state and we wanted to fly them, say, back to Haiti, you have to get clearance to be able to do that. If you wanted to fly somebody to a South American country, wherever they’re from, it becomes a little bit more difficult because the federal government’s going to tell the host countries not to accept our planes," DeSantis said.
"It’s a little bit different for a maritime state like us," he continued. "That’s why we’ve really got to get them before they reach the shores, and that’s why we’re working so hard to do that."
Haiti's situation has worsened, with gangs taking over Port-au-Prince, causing chaos, and leading to the Prime Minister's resignation. The violence has triggered a humanitarian crisis, with millions needing food aid and facing famine risks.
To bolster Florida's defenses, DeSantis deployed additional National Guardsmen, law enforcement officers, and equipment. This includes helicopters, drones, and seacrafts to counter the influx of migrants and associated challenges.
On a recent operation, Florida law enforcement intercepted a vessel carrying Haitian migrants along with weapons, drugs, and night vision gear. DeSantis emphasized his responsibility to protect Florida from various pressures, including those fleeing from other states to Florida.
"I’ve got to defend my state," DeSantis said. "I’ve got enough issues just dealing with people fleeing from blue states moving to Florida."