Cuban migrant surge leads to closure of Florida's national park

Dry Tortugas National Park in the Florida Keys has been temporarily closed as authorities respond to a surge of Cuban migrants arriving at the site.

The closure, which started on Monday, is expected to last for several days as law enforcement and medical teams assess the situation, provide necessary care, and facilitate the transport of around 300 migrants who arrived at the park in recent days, according to the National Park Service.

Located approximately 70 miles (113 kilometers) from Key West, Dry Tortugas is accessible only by boat or seaplane. The park spans about 100 square miles of mostly water and includes seven small islands. It falls within the boundaries of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

The National Park Service reported an uptick in Cuban migrants arriving by boat and landing on the islands of Dry Tortugas, a trend that mirrors what’s happening elsewhere in the Florida Keys.

The closure of the park is essential to ensure the safety of both visitors and staff, as it allows for the resources and space needed to assist the migrants, according to the NPS.

Ferry and seaplane services operated by concessionaires have also been temporarily suspended, as confirmed by the NPS press release.

A tweet from the Homeland Security Task Force Southeast indicated that federal, state, and local authorities are aware of several migrant landings that took place over the weekend at Dry Tortugas.

Multiple law enforcement agencies are working together to assist in recovering individuals who are currently stranded on the park's remote and uninhabited islands, according to the tweet.

The exact number and condition of the migrants being processed remain unclear at this time.

On Friday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued an executive order activating the state's National Guard and directing various state agencies to assist local governments in managing the migrant influx, according to his office's news release.

DeSantis, criticizing federal immigration policies, stated that the failure of the Biden administration is burdening local law enforcement, which lacks the necessary resources to address the crisis. He added that his executive order aims to ease the pressure on local services.

On New Year's Day alone, more than 160 migrants were encountered in the Florida Keys, as reported by Walter N. Slosar, a U.S. Border Patrol chief patrol agent. An additional 88 migrants were found on New Year's Eve, according to Slosar's tweets.

In October and November, nearly 14,000 Cuban migrants were encountered in Florida, compared to approximately 35,000 for the entire year leading up to September 30, according to data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.