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A4 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 16 March 2022
Haitians aiming for Florida Keys outpace 2021 migration

By DANICA COTO and FRE- have been deported from
IDA FRISARO neighboring Dominican
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) Republic, which shares
— Haitian migrants are the island of Hispaniola, in
reaching Florida's shores in recent months in a crack-
large numbers as human down on migrants. Once
smuggling operations ramp back, many of the former
up, outpacing last year's expatriates have added to
migration waves. Haiti's unemployment crisis.
The rise in the desperate U.S. Customs and Border
and sometimes deadly Protection is taking the
voyages on overloaded lead in the investigation
vessels comes amid deep- into the most recent case
ening political instability, in the Florida Keys.
skyrocketing inflation, se- The Coast Guard has
vere fuel shortages and a stopped other Haitian
spike in gang-related vio- boats navigating near the
lence and kidnappings in Bahamas with dozens of
Haiti. migrants. On Sunday, the
About 140 Haitian migrants agency transferred 127
came ashore Monday on Haitians and three Cuban
Summerland Key, about 20 nationals to Bahamian au-
miles (30 kilometers) up the thorities after picking them
highway from Key West, up in two locations near
and Monroe County Sher- This photo provided by Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, Haitian migrants arrive on shore at Sum- Anguilla Cay, Bahamas.
iff's deputies joined federal merland Key, Fla., on Monday, March 14, 2022. So far this fiscal year, which
agents in processing them. Associated Press began Oct. 1, Coast Guard
Earlier this month, a wood- crews have encountered
en boat carrying hundreds into custody and face de- rights of all Haitian citizens, In addition, instances of 1,193 Haitians at sea. That
of migrants grounded in portation unless they have especially their rights to life, civil unrest jumped by compares with 1,527 Hai-
shallow water off Key Lar- viable asylum claims. freedom of movement, more than 80% as a grow- tian migrants in all of fis-
go, and 163 people swam The United Nations Security work, health care and ed- ing number of Haitians sink cal year 2021, 418 in 2020
ashore near the Ocean Council reported in mid- ucation," the U.N. report deeper into poverty, with and 932 in 2019, the Coast
Reef Club. Many needed February that gangs in Haiti concluded. inflation reaching the dou- Guard said.
medical treatment, federal have been growing more Kidnappings in the coun- ble digits. On Feb. 28, crews spotted
officials said. powerful and seizing more try of more than 11 million Also, many Haitians who a Haitian sailboat with 179
Another boat carrying 176 territory, with an under-re- people have increased by have lived overseas for people aboard 30 miles (50
Haitians was stopped in sourced and understaffed 180% and homicides by 17% many years in South Ameri- kilometers) off Andros Is-
January just off the Florida police force struggling to in the past year, with more can countries have been land, Bahamas. Last Friday,
Keys, the U.S. Coast Guard contain them. than 500 people alone seeking entry via the south- the Coast Guard stopped
said. The Coast Guard rou- "The actions of these armed killed between September ern land border into the another Haitian sail vessel
tinely returns people inter- criminal groups have had and December, including United States, which sent with 123 people, including
dicted at sea to their coun- a catastrophic impact on 40 women and children as an estimated 18,000 back 39 minors, about 10 miles
try of origin. Those arriving in the economy of Haiti and young as 5 years old, ac- to Haiti in recent months. (16 kilometers) from Anguil-
the U.S. generally are taken threaten the fundamental cording to the report. Another 10,000 Haitians la Cay, Bahamas.q

Feds once again nix Noem's Mount Rushmore fireworks event

tribes as well as the possibil- last year. A federal judge Dakota Department of
ity of igniting wildfires. rejected her arguments in Tourism, Wheatley noted
"Mount Rushmore is the June, prompting an appeal the March 2021 wildfire
best place in America to to the 8th U.S. Circuit Court that closed the memorial
celebrate our nation's birth- of Appeals in St. Louis. for three days.
day – I just wish President In a letter dated Monday "Current drought condi-
Biden could see that," the from the U.S. Department tions and the 2022 wildfire
Republican governor said of Interior, Mount Rushmore outlook indicate that fire-
in a statement Tuesday. National Memorial Super- works would cause a high
"Last year, the President intendent Michelle Wheat- likelihood of a wildfire igni-
hypocritically held a fire- ley said a fireworks event tion," she wrote.
works celebration in Wash- would not be "safe and re- Local Native American
ington, D.C., while denying sponsible." Noem success- tribes objected to the cele-
us our own event. This year, fully pushed for a return of bration being held on land
it looks like they are plan- the event in 2020 after a they hold as sacred.
Fireworks burst at Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Friday, ning to do the same." decadelong hiatus. It gave "There is ample document-
July 3, 2020, near Keystone, S.D. Noem said she would con- former President Donald ed opposition for the Tribes
Associated Press tinue a court battle to hold Trump an opportunity to to the 2020 event, and we
the fireworks. She filed a be featured at a patriotic understand from ongoing
PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — The Na- mark the Fourth of July federal lawsuit against the display attended by thou- meetings with the Tribes
tional Park Service has de- with fireworks at Mount Biden administration after sands of people during the that these concerns have
nied South Dakota Gov. Rushmore, citing opposi- it refused to issue a permit coronavirus pandemic. not diminished." the letter
Kristi Noem's request to tion from Native American for a similar celebration In the letter to the South stated.q