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In a recent move by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, the state is set to deploy 250 law enforcement officers and an air-and-sea fleet to its southern waters. This action aims to bolster efforts against a potential influx of Haitian migrants following turmoil and escalating violence in Haiti that has seen gangs seizing control of significant areas and displacing thousands.

Amid these crises, Haiti’s Prime Minister Ariel Henry resigned, paving the way for a transitional government, while the US and other nations have pulled non-essential embassy staff from the region.

Governor DeSantis highlighted the state’s proactive stance in a statement, saying, “No state has done more to supplement the (under-resourced) US Coast Guard’s interdiction efforts; we cannot have illegal aliens coming to Florida.” According to Desantis, the state will send up to 133 Florida State Guardsmen to the Florida Keys, with additional support from the National Guard and other state departments.

Despite recent Coast Guard actions that repatriated around 65 Haitians near the Bahamas, there is yet to be seen any sign of a mass migration toward Florida due to the deteriorating situation in Haiti.

This comes as Florida has witnessed an overall increase of migrants illegally entering the state from Caribbean nations, notably Cuba and Haiti. In January, approximately 500 Cuban migrants reached the Florida Keys in three days.