Gov. Ron DeSantis

In response to the “massive influx of illegal immigrants” impacting the Keys, Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed an executive order and activated the Florida National Guard.

The governor signed Executive Order (EO) 23- 03 (Emergency Management – Illegal Migration), “activating the Florida National Guard, directing state law enforcement agencies and other state agencies to provide resources in support of local governments responding to the alarming influx of migrants landing in the Florida Keys, and providing additional support toward efforts to prevent further migrant landings on Florida’s shores,” his office said in a release issued this afternoon.

According to the release, on New Year’s Day, approximately 300 individuals “unlawfully entered Dry Tortugas National Park, located about 70 miles west of Key West, with an additional 45 illegal aliens entering Key West.”

“This massive influx of illegal immigrants caused the park to close to ensure the safety of visitors and staff and to provide the space necessary to attend to the illegal immigrants,” the release states. “Since August 2022, federal, state and local law enforcement have encountered more than 8,000 migrants in waters off the coast of Florida.”

“As the negative impacts of 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 prepared statement. “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.”

“It is particularly burdensome for the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, which has 194 deputies, to dedicate the necessary resources to manage the movement of hundreds of migrants while also ensuring adequate public safety,” the release states. “The Biden Administration’s response has been inept, failing to provide the resources necessary to respond to the current mass migration event. Instead, the burden falls on local law enforcement, which puts Floridians at risk.

The state will “deploy air assets, including airplanes and helicopters from the Florida National Guard, and will bolster Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission marine patrol to support water interdictions and ensure the safety of migrants attempting to reach Florida through the Florida Straits.”

At issue is what the governor’s office called a lack of federal support.

“Florida has a long history of helping refugees, including Cubans and others fleeing communist regimes, find support after they arrive in the United States, however, this has always involved support from the Federal Government and a large, coordinated effort amongst state, federal and local governments,” the release states.