Florida National Park Closes After Migrants Arrival

Facts

• Dry Tortugas National Park, located about 70 miles west of Key West, Fla., was closed on Monday after 300 migrants who made 10 landings there over the weekend await evaluation before being sent to Key West.
• Dry Tortugas was temporarily closed at 8 a.m., and the closure "is expected to last several days...for the safety of visitors and staff" due to the "resources and space needed to attend to the migrants," the park wrote in a statement on Twitter.
• The national park closure came amid 160 more arrivals in other parts of the Florida Keys over the weekend, including 30 individuals from two groups who were found in the state's Middle Keys.
• The nearly 500 migrant arrivals are mostly from Cuba and other parts of the Caribbean, with economic turmoil, soaring inflation, and food shortages in the region being cited as the reason for this most recent wave.
• The US Customs and Border Protection reported 88 Cuban migrant encounters in just a 24-hour span on Saturday, with another 24 Haitians encountered in a smuggling operation the week before and 15 migrants arriving on Christmas morning.
• First responders at the park — known for attracting scuba divers and snorkelers — have dealt with the recent increase in arrivals by providing "food, water and basic medical attention" until federal authorities come to take over.

Sources: CBS, NBC Miami, Abc, Fox13, and FOX News.

Narratives

• Democratic narrative, as provided by DHS. The Biden administration's immigration programs have helped the US live up to its long-held philosophy of accepting immigrants. Over the past year, the Dept. of Homeland Security secured tens of millions of dollars to implement new programs for assessing asylum applications at a record pace. As the US faces unprecedented numbers of migrants fleeing persecution, the department should continue this trend and ensure every legitimate asylum seeker receives a shot at a better life in America.
• Republican narrative, as provided by Federalist. The government’s primary duty is to protect and put its citizens first. With millions of illegals crossing into border states just last year — imposing financial and physical threats to the Americans who live there — it's about time states utilize the constitutional powers given to them, as Biden's federal agents refuse to conduct the deportations they so desperately need, and secure their own borders.

Predictions