DANIA BEACH, Fla. – A group of about 140 Haitian migrants came to shore in the Lower Florida Keys on Monday morning, border authorities confirmed, the latest in a string of suspected smuggling operations.
“Haiti has been going through some of the worst violence in recent history,” Family Action Network Movement Marleine Bastien said.
Bastien says Haiti is at war with its own people an island nation being ruled by gang violence.
“The situation is really, really dangerous there. People are fleeing for their lives and historically that’s what happens, Bastien said.
Last week a group of 356 Haitians was on a vessel that ran aground.
158 jumped off the boat and tried to swim to shore.
The others were sent back and immigration advocates are outraged they didn’t get due process.
Those who stayed have reportedly been transferred to a detention facility in Texas.
“The Biden administration has deported since October 2021, over 20,000 Haitian refugees back to Haiti,” Bastien said.
That’s more Haitian refugees they say than the previous three presidential administrations.
Local immigration advocates say the Biden administration has failed to meet its promise to the Haitian community.
“Step up. If you’re not going to do it, just say you’re not going to do it, but you made promises. Stop with the deception, make the tough decision,” Florida Immigration Coalition Co-Executive Director Tessa Petit said.
Republican Congressman Carlos Gimenez says it’s not just Haitians and it’s also a problem by land.
“The Cubans and the Haitians know, although some are trying to get here by sea most of them are actually getting through land, they’re actually crossing on the southern border,” Gimenez said.
According to U.S. Coast Guard data, their crews since Oct. 1 have rescued 1,193 Haitians compared to:
- 1,527 Haitian migrants in fiscal year 2021
- 418 Haitian migrants in fiscal year 2020
- 932 Haitian migrants in fiscal year 2019
- 609 Haitian migrants in fiscal year 2018
- 419 Haitian migrants in fiscal year 2017