Staff Reports
Federal and local law enforcement have been hard at work off the Florida coast, chasing down the type of individuals that make even the most hardened criminals blush: gang members, drug traffickers, and human smugglers. Yet, despite these ongoing operations, the influx of illegal entries has significantly diminished since Governor Ron DeSantis decided it was high time for some serious border security efforts. By ramping up National Guard resources, DeSantis has ensured that Florida’s waters are looking less like a free-for-all and more like a well-guarded VIP lounge.
Just over the weekend, Border Patrol agents demonstrated their effectiveness after detaining a Brazilian national – a confirmed member of the Paisa gang and a convicted drug trafficker. This individual was caught red-handed on a vessel in U.S. waters near Miami. Thanks to swift action from Homeland Security Task Force agents, he is now headed for prosecution for illegal re-entry. It seems that Florida’s coast is becoming much less welcoming for those who think they can play hide-and-seek with the law.
The law enforcement success didn’t stop there. In Fort Lauderdale, a multi-agency team rounded up a Haitian national who had previously racked up a prison sentence of 174 months for an alien smuggling operation that tragically led to the deaths of nine people, including a pregnant woman and her unborn child. Now, this miscreant faces further prosecution for his illegal re-entry into the U.S. One has to wonder how many more criminals are out there, emboldened by a lax immigration system.
Interestingly, not all individuals caught in this dragnet are foreign nationals. Five Floridians, specifically Hispanic adults from Miami, Cape Coral, and West Palm Beach, found themselves in hot water with 20 felony counts of human smuggling. It seems that crime doesn’t discriminate on the basis of nationality; it can be found in all corners of the Sunshine State. In a surprising twist, when federal authorities opted out of pursuing human smuggling charges against these individuals, local officials took matters into their own hands, ensuring that justice would not be brushed under the rug.
Further adding to the disturbing trend of illegal entries, agents interdicted 20 foreign nationals attempting to slip into the U.S. illegally, including 13 Ecuadorians and seven Chinese nationals. As the Border Patrol continues its battle against smuggling and trafficking, they have also apprehended multiple Cubans who arrived on homemade vessels — definitely not the kind of extravagant entry one might hope for. Local and federal agencies continue to uncover a web of human trafficking as they fight against those who see easy prey in desperate foreign nationals.
Washington Examiner: Law enforcement officials continue to apprehend violent offenders off Florida coast https://t.co/BgOeGUuvFl
— Ian’s Newsfeed 🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@IanHNewsFeed) August 22, 2024
Even more alarming, the ongoing operations further expose the reality of what can happen when national security falls by the wayside. ICE has stepped up by removing violent offenders from the U.S., including a Jamaican national living in Boca Raton wanted for child rape and a Dominican national previously deported for murder. The authorities have made clear that the days of looking the other way are over. If nothing else, this ongoing saga illustrates one truth: a secure border is not just a talking point—it’s a necessity for safety, security, and the rule of law.
