As they attempted to enter the United States on Wednesday, over 100 Haitian migrants were stopped by Border Patrol agents off the coast of Key West, Florida, according to Coast Guard officials.
Around four in the morning, the 118 migrants were seen in a boat in the Florida waters. According to Border Patrol, they underwent medical checks, were questioned, and were processed.
According to Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Nicholas Strasburg, “I can confirm there was a recent migrant landing in the vicinity of the Key West Nature Preserve,” on Wednesday.
The migrants were apprehended during a humanitarian catastrophe in Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti, where violent gangs have taken over the streets, starving and driving away residents while raising doubts about the country’s ability to rule itself.
Ariel Henry, the unpopular prime minister of Haiti, decided to step down in March after he was repeatedly unable to hold elections, which he blamed on technical issues or violent protests directed at him. In addition, Henry declared that the following election would not take place until the following year.
Humanitarian workers and locals have reported that tensions increased when the notion of a transitional administration that would be mediated by outsiders rather than by Haitians and other Caribbean nations surfaced.
After a while, Haiti’s transition council came into being and rotated through several acting prime ministers. At the moment, Garry Conille holds the position.
But even as the transition committee looks for a permanent leader, Cabinet, temporary electoral council, and subsequent vote, Haiti is plagued by violent gangs and violence.
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“The political unrest and rampant violence in Haiti have created the conditions for another mass migration surge that is directly impacting South Florida,” Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla. stated on Wednesday. “The security of our community is at risk of another mass migration event from Haiti due to the rampant gang violence and the mass release of thousands of violent criminals from the country’s jails.”
More than 250 additional law enforcement officers and troops were deployed by Governor Ron DeSantis in March to police the waters and stop a tide of Haitian migrants.
According to Samuel Briggs II, the acting chief patrol agent for the Border Patrol in Miami, the migrants received medical clearance before being sent to Border Patrol stations where they will undergo processing and interviews.
On Wednesday, the Florida Immigrant Coalition urged federal and state officials to treat the migrants with compassion and offer them assistance.
The coalition stated in a statement that this week, “Haitian migrants, including children, endured a perilous seven day journey at sea, arriving off Key West in a sailboat, seeking safety and security and highlighting the growing violence and humanitarian crisis in Haiti.”
According to the group, gang violence has worsened food insecurity, raised health concerns, and led to an increase in crime against women and girls, which is why Haitians are leaving the nation.
