More than 50 Cuban migrants land in the Florida Keys

More than 50 Cuban undocumented migrants were intercepted in the Florida Keys on Sunday after arriving in homemade vessels, amid an influx of Haitian and Cuban migrants making landfall in the area, authorities reported. 

Border Patrol agents and Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) troopers responded to two separate reports of migrant landings in Key Largo and Marathon. Between the two incidents, 53 Cubans were taken into custody, four of which had to be taken to the hospital to be treated for dehydration, according to CBS News. 

Additionally, on Sunday, the U.S. Coast Guard repatriated 273 Cubans who were intercepted at sea in separate encounters over the New Year holiday. 

The recent encounter comes days after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed an executive order mobilizing the National Guard to support the local government’s response to the large number of migrants arriving in the state. 

“As the negative impacts of [President] Biden’s lawless immigration policies continue unabated, the burden of the Biden administration’s failure falls on local law enforcement who lack the resources to deal with the crisis,” DeSantis said in a release. 

“That is why I am activating the National Guard and directing state resources to help alleviate the strain on local resources. When Biden continues to ignore his legal responsibilities, we will step in to support our communities,” he continued. 

According to the Coast Guard, officers have intercepted 4,795 Cuban migrants since October 1, 2022, a significant increase compared to the 6,182 Cuban migrants intercepted in the whole Fiscal Year 2022, 838 in Fiscal Year 2021, and 49 in Fiscal Year 2020.