(NewsNation) — The U.S. is exploring options to send Haitian migrants attempting to reach Florida to Guantanamo Bay for processing, as the number of interdictions rises.
Brandon Judd, president of the National Border Patrol Council, said if the Coast Guard interdicts Haitian migrants at sea and doesn’t allow them into Florida ports, they would be taken to Guantanamo. He warned agents could be overwhelmed if detentions exceed 1,000 per day, citing inadequate infrastructure.
Coast Guard crews in South Florida say they have interdicted 219 Haitian migrants so far in fiscal year 2024, 3,717 in fiscal 2023 and 7,175 in fiscal 2022.
In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis detailed plans to address a potential migrant surge, deploying over 250 additional officers, soldiers and more than a dozen air and sea craft to the southern coast “to protect our state” from those escaping violence in Haiti.
“The last thing you should want to do is get on board and think you’re going to come through … to get to Florida, when in the most likely scenario, you will be stopped and returned to your country of origin,” DeSantis said.
“It’s a hazardous journey, it’s not worth doing and we have the resources that are going to continue to keep the people of Florida safe,” DeSantis added.
The U.S. announced $25 million more in humanitarian aid for Haiti, whose government is under a state of emergency.
In Massachusetts, an immigrant from Haiti identified as Cory Bernard Alvarez was arrested in the past year, accused of raping a 15-year-old girl at a migrant shelter. He flew to the U.S. directly from Haiti using a parole program, according to Department of Homeland Security sources. Alvarez maintains innocence and will “vigorously contest” the charges, his attorney said.