Florida Republicans Reach Out to US Navy as Haiti's Threat to US Becomes Impossible to Ignore

Nicholas Kontodiakos - U.S. Navy / Getty Images

From Florida, Republicans with an eye on the unrest rocking Haiti are sending an SOS that sounds a lot like Save Our Shores.

Republican Reps. Matt Gaetz, Gus Biliarakis, Anna Paulina Luna and Daniel Webster of Florida have sent a letter reminding President Joe Biden of an executive order from former President George W. Bush to fight illegal immigration, according to The Hill.

The letter asked Biden to “declare an ‘anticipated mass migration of aliens en route to, or arriving off the coast of, the United States' as urgent circumstances requiring an immediate federal response.”

Trump on the illegal immigrants from Haiti.

"Look at what's happening in Haiti -- a tremendous problem with AIDS. Many of those people will probably have AIDS and they're coming into our country..." pic.twitter.com/uQbdjZruW2

— sean (@Gykiwi03) March 12, 2024

The letter referenced a comment from Gen. Laura Richardson, Commander of United States Southern Command, during a Thursday House Armed Services Committee hearing.

“I think that we need to be postured appropriately [to address the threat of mass migration from Haiti], for that is exactly what you’re talking about. And I have put in a request for increased capability to do exactly that. And we are ready if a mass migration, if we need to deal with a mass migration,” the letter quoted Richardson as saying.

Gaetz had earlier posted on his website a commitment from Richardson at that hearing to ask for help if more Defense Department resources are needed in the region.

The letter said state resources being mobilized by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis “are insufficient to address the scope and scale of the anticipated mass migration.”

“A declaration pursuant to Executive Order 13276 is necessary to reinforce the State of Florida’s efforts by utilizing Department of Defense vessels to conduct maritime interdictions and interceptions of aliens from Haiti and repatriate them, preferably to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, as this limits the financial obligation of U.S. taxpayers,” the letter said.

The Dominican Republic is now MASS DEPORTING illegal immigrants from Haiti!!!@JoeBiden TAKE NOTES!

Shut down our border before it’s too late!!! pic.twitter.com/EzJJky53Io

— Graham Allen (@GrahamAllen_1) March 13, 2024

“We urge you to engage the necessary assets to conduct maritime interdictions and interceptions of Haitians,” the letter said.

DeSantis last week said, he had “directed the Division of Emergency Management, the Florida State Guard, and state law enforcement agencies to deploy over 250 additional officers and soldiers and over a dozen air and sea craft to the southern coast of Florida to protect our state," according to Just the News.

As noted by The Hill, a boat carrying 25 Haitian illegal immigrants was recently intercepted by Florida officials.

Joe Biden and Justin Trudeau have in effect been running domestic politics in Haiti for the past few years. The result is chaos and cannibalism. Pretty soon a big portion of the Haitian population will be living in Florida. Haiti’s former prime minister explains. pic.twitter.com/3gPtfhiMpi

— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) March 18, 2024

Haiti, where law and order have been precarious at the best of times, has devolved into violence in recent weeks, according to the Associated Press.

The AP reported that at least 12 people were killed Monday as the violence spread.

Prime Minister Ariel Henry has announced he will resign, but the violence-torn nation has made little progress forming a transitional council to govern after he steps down.