As Hurricane Milton hits Florida, so do more illegal immigrants
Authorities in Florida encountered a boat full of illegal immigrants arriving in the Sunshine State on Wednesday night, just as the state was preparing for Hurricane Milton to make landfall.
Border Patrol announced that agents and law enforcement partners responded to a migrant landing in Boynton Beach on Wednesday night.
The boat was carrying 11 migrants. Six from Haiti, two from Guyana, one from the Dominican Republic and two from the Bahamas.
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Interim Miami Chief Patrol Agent Andrew Scharnweber noted in an X post the dangers of such voyages, particularly as a historic hurricane was looming.
"Illegal maritime migration voyages are extremely dangerous, especially in severe weather," he said.
Florida regularly deals with boats full of migrants, particularly from Haiti, attempting to reach the United States. In June, 305 migrants were stopped by the Coast Guard as part of an operation that intercepted nearly 12,000 migrants in fiscal 2023.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced in March the deployment of soldiers and officers as well as aircraft and boats to "protect" the state from vessels carrying illegal immigrants.
"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 seacraft to the southern coast of Florida to protect our state," he said.
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The Department of Homeland Security warned this year that those entering illegally would be returned.
"U.S. policy is to return non-citizens who do not have a fear of persecution or torture or a legal basis to enter the United States. Those interdicted at sea are subject to immediate repatriation pursuant to our longstanding 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, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti."
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Migration from Haiti has been a fiery political issue, with former President Trump pointing to the alleged negative effects of mass numbers of migrants on small towns across the U.S.
Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key, Florida, late Wednesday evening as a Category 3 storm with winds of 120 mph. It had left more than 3 million people without power by Thursday morning as the storm devastated Florida's coast.
More than 10 inches of rain has fallen so far in some parts of Florida and an additional eight to 12 inches of rain is possible in many areas.