The federal parole program approved by the Biden Administration earlier this year has sent a soaring number of undocumented immigrants to Florida.
The Sunshine State’s immigrant encounters jumped from 35,349 in fiscal year 2022 to 236,691 in fiscal year 2023 — a 550% increase, the figures show.
The surge is largely due to the Department of Homeland Security’s special program for Haitian, Venezuelan, Cuban and Nicaraguan asylum seekers.
The program allows undocumented people “outside the United States” to request parole in the US based on “compelling humanitarian reasons or important public benefit,” according to US Citizenship and Immigration Services.
To be eligible for temporary parole, applicants must have a financial “backer” already in the country, pass a security check and meet other criteria.
The initiative has sparked a stampede to Florida, with 56,547 immigrant encounters in October and November this year alone — compared to just 13,580 in the same period last year and just 2,886 in 2021.
Florida has seen a sharp increase in immigrant encounters in recent years. TNS
“We’re seeing them in numbers that I didn’t think were possible,” a south Florida CBP source told The Post.
October recorded 27,128 migrant encounters — up from just 1,451 in the same month in 2022.
If the trend continues at the current rate, the figure for fiscal year 2024 will easily surpass the previous record for Florida’s immigrant encounters.
Haiti sends highest number of immigrants to Florida in fiscal year 2023. TNS
The category does not include illegal immigrants who enter certain areas undetected.
Of the 236,691 immigrants coming to Florida in fiscal year 2023, the highest number came from Haiti with chronic illnesses at 69,435.
Following a crackdown by Gov. Ron DeSantis, fewer immigrants to Florida are arriving by boat. CRISTOBAL HERRERA-ULASHKEVICH/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Venezuelans are next on the list at 54,220, followed by Cubans at 51,162, Nicaraguans at 26,857, Ukrainians at 7,816 and Indians at 3,411.
The record clip in October and November was driven by those seeking refuge from financially distressed countries such as those in Central and South America, the figures show.
“It is an economic issue in their home country,” said the border source. “The desperation in places like Haiti and Venezuela is extreme, so people are taking their chances.”
Migrant groups have pushed back against the state’s immigration crackdown. CRISTOBAL HERRERA-ULASHKEVICH/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
After US Citizenship and Immigration Services was inundated with applications, the agency was forced to overhaul its review process in May to manage the requests.
The program has also encouraged more migrants to Florida to show up at seaports and airports rather than attempt the dangerous maritime trek.
Citing a significant increase in migrant boat traffic, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis cracked down on the practice in January.
Nationwide, there were more than 3 million migrant encounters in fiscal year 2023, up sharply from 1,956,519 in fiscal year 2022 and 646,822 in fiscal year 2020, according to CBP data.
Texas had the most immigrant encounters in fiscal year 2023 with 1,390,714, followed by California at 450,541.
There have been 600,000 migrant encounters across the country in October and November.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
