Earlier this week, Department of Defense officials acknowledged during a House Armed Services Committee hearing that the deteriorating political situation in Haiti makes it very possible the United States will face mass migration from the failed state. With Prime Minister Ariel Henry in Puerto Rico, unable to get back into the country, and having already announced his resignation once a transitional council is set up, the most powerful man in Haiti right now is the notorious gang member Barbecue. Dead bodies litter the streets and fill the air with an unbearable stench that has driven some from their homes, The Washington Post reports, and the gangs, whose ranks have been beefed up thanks to prison breaks, are continuing their reign of terror—kidnapping, killing, and raping citizens—unchecked.
That’s why Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida was particularly concerned during the hearing about a potential “wave of people…coming from Haiti” and urged the officials to have Naval vessels ready to deter the migration and repatriate the individuals before they reach the coast.
The lawmaker should rest a bit easier, however, knowing that his state's governor is already on the issue, using the tools and resources available to him to address the situation.
According to a statement on X, Gov. Ron DeSantis detailed the steps he's taken in light of Haiti's free-fall.
“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," he said. "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.”
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