Officials: Hundreds of migrants to be sent to South Florida

Hundreds of migrants from the U.S.-Mexico border will be sent to South Florida to “alleviate” the situation in that region, local officials announced Thursday describing this “policy” as “irresponsible” from the Federal government.

The Broward County mayor, Mark Bogen, criticized that there will be “hundreds of immigrants without designated shelters or funds to house them, feed them, and keep them safe.”

Bogen said that “this sudden influx” is “irresponsible” and “inhumane” and suggested that for those that the county does not find shelter, take them to hotels owned by President Donald Trump.

“Let’s ask the president to open his heart and his home too,” he said.

“It’s not a good plan,” said Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, who told a news conference on Thursday that the Border Patrol informed them of the idea.

The sheriff said he has many questions about the implementation of this policy, for example, if it is children or families, if they will have information of their criminal record, if they have it, and is concerned that it may represent a “public safety problem” “for local communities.

For his part, Senator Marco Rubio said in his Twitter account that there are at least 500 immigrants who will arrive next week in the counties of Broward and Palm Beach, north of Miami.

The Republican senator from Florida said he was aware of the issue through local authorities, who told him that the undocumented will be “liberated” in the region while attending an asylum hearing in immigration courts.

“The undocumented arrival is overwhelming our system,” Rubio said.

Bogen said the county will do “everything possible to help these people.” However, he pointed out that if the president “does not provide financial assistance to house and feed these people, he will be creating a camp for the homeless.

“He stressed that Broward County will address all charities or nonprofits, businesses and other resources to try to help these immigrants.

The mayor emphasized that Broward “no” is a sanctuary city for immigrants and that the Florida Legislature recently approved a controversial bill prohibiting such jurisdictions in the state.

In that sense, he recalled that “President Trump has threatened to send people who cross the border illegally to communities that are considered friendly with immigrants”