Dozens of people were in custody after they were among hundreds of Haitian migrants that were stopped at sea over the weekend off the coast of the Florida Keys.
In fact, there have been at least 16 migrant encounters statewide within a two-day period that have led to the arrest of 263 migrants, Border Patrol officials announced Sunday.
One of the most recent was on Saturday when about 300 migrants were rescued near Key Largo after trying to make it to the United States.
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Officials said 113 of the migrants jumped off the boat and swam to shore where Border Patrol said they took them into custody.
“They had no water, food, snacks, some had dehydration. Four were taken to a local hospital and treated,” Chief Border Patrol Agent Walter N. Slosar said.
The 218 remaining migrants who stayed onboard the vessel were taken into custody by the U.S. Coast Guard. Officials said none were seriously hurt.
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Slosar said all of the encounters involved makeshift, overloaded vessels.
Patricia Elizee is an immigration attorney who’s dealt with cases involving Haitian migrants seeking asylum and said it's been the worst she's ever seen.
“Haiti right now is the worst I’ve ever seen it. It's so bad you’re not able to take kids to school, scared to go to the supermarket. You won’t end a day without hearing a gunshot,” Elizee said. "If there’s not real change, these boats are not going to stop any time soon."
On Friday, another boat overturned near the Lower Keys, leaving at least two people dead and five missing, Coast Guard officials said. Another eight were rescued from the water.
Slosar said Friday that more than 100 Cuban migrants were taken into custody during 12 different landings in the Florida Keys over a two-day stretch.
Three more landings happened Friday leading to 42 more Cuban migrants being taken into custody, Slosar said.
