Coral Gables asking state for assistance in stopping migrant crossings, believing canal could be the entryway
MIAMI — The Coral Gables Police Department is ramping up its enforcement after two groups of migrants arrived through a local canal. Now, the city's vice mayor and police chief are asking the state for help.
Coral Gables Marine Patrol is driving close to boats they see in the bay by the Snapper Creek Canal. These patrols are targeting this area after two different cases of migrant crossings happened in their city.
Police said they broke up what they believe were two smuggling operations.
Cops caught 26 Chinese migrants on Tuesday near Old Cutler Road and Southwest 120th Street. On Jan. 17, cops found 21 migrants in a U-Haul.
"We believe they could have made landfall anywhere through this channel," said Michelle Christensen of Coral Gables Police.
Police Chief Edward Hudak said state grants could help fund a larger police presence by that canal.
"I think if you close it off one area and I think this is what we see in this smuggling operation. We're gonna do enforcement here," he said. "You can't do this by yourselves. You're just gonna push the issue someplace else."
Governor Ron DeSantis cited the situation in the Gables as an example of why he wants to crack down on migrant crossings in Florida.
"We've done other interdiction efforts, [the Florida Department of Law Enforcement] was just working down in Coral Gables. They busted Chinese illegal aliens," the governor said.
Coral Gables Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson said she is sending a letter to send to State Sen. Ileana Garcia, asking for a new patrol boat and a high-water rescue vehicle.
"We have some very low bridges coming in off the bay," Anderson said.
CBS News Miami did reach out to the governor's office to see if any help could be coming from the state and have not gotten a response.
Police have said that what helped in both of these cases was that someone saw something suspicious and called police.
