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MARATHON, Fla. – Today, Senator Rick Scott hosted a press conference regarding the growing illegal immigration and border security crises impacting communities in South Florida. Prior to the press conference, Senator Scott received a briefing from U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Brendan McPherson, Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay, and Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Air and Marine Operations on the local response to the migrant crisis in the Florida Keys.

Senator Rick Scott said, “Right now, our country is experiencing record-high levels of ILLEGAL immigration. And what President Joe Biden has done is brought his ILLEGAL immigration crisis that he created on our southern border right to Florida's front door. What I heard and saw during my briefing and tour with Sheriff Rick Ramsay, Admiral McPherson, and CBP in the Keys today makes me furious and is absolutely heartbreaking. Our brave law enforcement officers, including CBP agents and Coast Guard, are doing everything they can to keep our communities safe, but this administration has completely abandoned them and left them shorthanded. Every state is a border state, and we cannot allow the communist Cuban regime to weaponize our LEGAL immigration system and take advantage. Florida is an immigration state, we encourage and welcome legal immigration—but it must be done LEGALLY. These evil regimes in Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua cannot continue to be emboldened by Biden’s appeasement and wide open borders. WHERE IS MAYORKAS? WHERE IS BIDEN? They don’t care, but I won’t stop fighting to fix this. I’m going to keep showing up, keep holding them accountable and not let up until we SECURE THE BORDER.”

Background:

Last week, Senator Scott was joined by Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay on his calls with Admiral Fagan and Secretary Mayorkas so these officials could hear directly from the sheriff on the problems this crisis is causing and what the Biden administration needs to do to support local law enforcement.

Senator Scott also continues to call on President Biden to support several of his bills, the Extending Limits of U.S. Customs Waters Act to help end Biden’s border crisis by giving CBP and the Coast Guard the tools to stop both illegal migration and drug trafficking off our shores, and his DEMOCRACIA Act to support the Cuban people’s fight for freedom and democracy and punish the illegitimate regime in Cuba and all who support its oppression.

Senator Scott continues to meet with local, state and federal leaders to find real solutions to securing the wide-open border and put an end to this growing crisis impacting Floridians. More from Senator Scott, including his most recent op-ed, below:

• January 18, 2023: Senators Rick Scott and Marco Rubio Warn Biden Admin Ahead of Dialogue with Cuban Regime
• January 17, 2023: IN CASE YOU MISSED IT… Sen. Rick Scott in the Miami Herald: Biden Plays Checkers as Cuba’s Wily Chess Moves Weaken U.S. Security
• January 11, 2023: Sen. Rick Scott to DHS Sec. Mayorkas: Migrant Crisis in the Florida Keys Demands Action to Secure Our Borders, Support Local Law Enforcement

• January 10, 2023: Sen. Rick Scott and Sheriff Rick Ramsay discuss migrant surge with USCG Admiral Fagan
• January 5, 2023: Sen. Rick Scott Hosts ‘Make Washington Work’ Roundtable on Border Security and Ending the Fentanyl Crisis with Florida Sheriffs and Volusia Recovery Alliance

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