By Bethany Blankley (The Center Square)
In January, Border Patrol agents arrested 1,402 foreign nationals entering Florida illegally, according to preliminary information Center Square obtained from Border Patrol agents on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.
He also reported 58 getaways who knew and reported that they had entered illegally and were seized by law enforcement. Together, these total 1,460.
The sector reported 2,083 turnbacks, those who attempted to enter illegally but were turned away, and 675 were “outstanding,” meaning they did not have enough information to classify the traffic incidents they reported.
January’s data was up from 1,399 apprehensions and 40 getaways, previously reported by The Center Square last month.
That’s down slightly from December, when Miami Sector Border Patrol agents arrested a record 1,664 illegal aliens and 107 getaways, according to preliminary data obtained by Center Square. Primary data excludes Office of Field Operations data.
Numbers continue to break records after the Miami Border Patrol sector reported a significant increase in apprehensions over the past several months and a 500% increase in apprehensions in fiscal year 2022 compared to fiscal year 2021.
RELATED: DeSantis College Board Victory Just Scratches the Surface of Higher Education’s Decay
From September 1, 2021 to October 31, 2022, Miami Sector Border Patrol agents apprehended 2,350 foreign nationals attempting to enter Florida illegally by sea. Most are Cubans.
Support conservative voices!
Sign up to receive the latest Political news, insight and commentary delivered straight to your inbox.
They also stopped 131 maritime smuggling incidents, a 330% increase from fiscal year 2021, Miami Sector Chief Agent Walter Schlosser said in December.
Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz announced On February 1, through October 1, 2022, Miami Sector agents responded to 246 immigrants and encountered more than 4,400 immigrants. He said the sector has increased staffing and worked with federal, state and local agencies to prevent, detect and deter illegal maritime efforts in Florida.
Feb. On the 9th, Slosser issued an alert saying, “Border Patrol agents and law enforcement partners are responding to an immigrant landing near Tavernier, Florida, involving a large number of individuals. There is a heavy presence of law enforcement and first responders in the area.”
He later provided an update, saying 114 Haitians had been detained and transferred to a local Border Patrol station for processing.
Earlier in the day, agents took 26 Cubans into custody after making a landfall in the Marquesas Keys, uninhabited islands west of Key West.
Earlier in the day, they responded to a smuggling incident where they encountered 3 Chinese, one Haitian and two Dominican Republic nationals. That same day, US Coast Guard officers intercepted a smuggling operation using a sailboat near Lake Worth and arrested 23 Haitians.
A suspected smuggler among those aboard the sailboat was arrested and “will be prosecuted by US Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations-Miami,” CBP AMO Regional Director SE announced.
Feb. 6, agents arrested “a Colombian national with a significant criminal history and an active arrest warrant for involvement in organized crime related to theft and fraud in Texas,” Sloser said. He said. He was handed over to local authorities for extradition.
On February 3, BP agents and law enforcement partners arrested a group of 29 Cubans after they landed in the Florida Keys. The day before, they arrested 30 Cubans who landed in the Dry Tortugas National Park, including 19 adults and 11 juveniles.
Dry Tortugas National Park was temporarily closed on January 2 and public access was prohibited so that law enforcement and medical personnel could deal with the group of 300 Cubans and others who had arrived.
RELATED: DeSantis administrators go after liquor license of foundation that hosted ‘Drag Queen Christmas’ attended by minors
After 500 people were arrested in Key West on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency. Biden issued an executive order activating the National Guard and other state resources to protect Floridians from the dangerous effects of the border crisis.
Responsible for patrolling Florida’s 1,200 miles of coastal border, Miami Sector agents regularly work with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, including the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, which has jurisdiction over the Florida Keys.
DeSantis’ office said the influx of people “is particularly burdensome for the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office,” which has 194 deputies and limited resources dedicated to providing public safety.
“The number of individuals attempting to come to the United States and the interception of unauthorized aliens in and around Florida has increased to alarming levels not seen in decades,” DeSantis’ order states. Since last August, federal, state and local authorities have intercepted more than 8,000 people in Florida’s territorial waters, he said.
Syndicated with permission from The Center Square.
