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>> WE’RE HERE TO TALK A LITTLE ABOUT WHAT WE’VE LEARNED ABOUT THE INTENTIONS OF BORDER PATROL. ARI: AND THOSE INTENTIONS, ACCORDING TO PALM BEACH COUNTY SHERIFF RIC BRADSHAW, ARE BAD NEWS FOR PALM BEACH COUNTY. THE SHERIFF SAYS BORDER PATROL PLANS TO BRING MORE THAN 1000 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM TEXAS TO FLORIDA EVERY MONTH, AND SPLIT THEM BETWEEN PALM BEACH AND BROWARD COUNTY. >> WE DON’T KNOW WHAT THE BACKGROUNDS ON THESE PEOPLE ARE. WE DON’T KNOW WHAT DOCUMENTATION THE BORDER PATROL HAS TO IDENTIFY WHO THEY ARE, WHAT THEIR CRIMINAL BACKGROUND IS, IF ANY. ARI: ONCE THEY’RE HERE, THE IMMIGRANTS WILL GO BEFORE A JUDGE AND THEN TOLD TO COME BACK AT ANOTHER DATE FOR A HEARING. THEN THEY’LL BE FREE TO GO. >> NO ACCOMMODATIONS FOR TRANSPORTATION LEAVING THERE. NO ACCOMMODATIONS FOR SHELTER OR A PLACE TO LIVE. JUST NO REAL PLAN. >> THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WAS PLANNED AND WE WANT BETTER PLAN FROM OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. ARI: MAYOR BERNARD SAYS THE COUNTY MAY HAVE TO BUILD A TENT CITY TO HOUSE THE IMMIGRANTS. HE ALSO SAYS THEY MAY HAVE TO DECLARE A STATE OF EMERGENCY. SHERIFF BRADSHAW SAYS BORDER PATROL JUST TOLD HIM OF THEIR PLAN A FEW DAYS AGO, GIVING THE COUNTY NO TIME TO PREPARE. >> IT’S NOT A GOOD PLAN. WE THINK IT’S A DANGER TO THIS COMMUNITY. >> WITH US BEING INCLUDED IN SOME FORM OF PLANNING, WE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TACKLE THIS A LOT BETTER THAN WHAT IT WAS PRESENTED TO US. ARI: SHERIFF BRADSHAW SAYS HE DOESN’T KNOW WHY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CHOSE BROWARD AND PALM BEACH TO SEND IMMIGRANTS TO. WHAT HE DOES KNOW, IS HIS JOB HAS ALWAYS BEEN KEEPING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS OUT OF SOUTH FLORIDA. >> WELL, GUESS WHAT? THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT NOW IS BRINGING PEOPLE WHO HAVE COME INTO THE C

Advertisement More than 500 migrants per month to be transported to Palm Beach County They will be released pending an asylum hearing Share Shares Copy Link Copy

U.S. Border Patrol will begin transporting more than 1,000 migrants a month to South Florida -- split between Palm Beach and Broward counties -- from the southern border within two weeks, according to U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio and sheriffs from both counties.The Republican senator was first to reveal the plans Thursday afternoon on Twitter. The sheriffs -- Ric Bradshaw in Palm Beach County and Gregory Tony in Broward County -- then announced they have been told to each expect 135 migrants seeking asylum to be flown into Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport every week."Unlawful arrivals are overwhelming our system," Rubio tweeted. "Now I have just been informed by Palm Beach sheriff that starting next week Border Patrol will begin transporting 500 migrants a month from border to Broward & Palm Beach Florida & releasing them pending an asylum hearing."U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which is part of the Department of Homeland Security, has offices in Dania Beach and the Port of Palm Beach. Border Patrol will process them and release them into the custody of the sheriff. "There's a mass migration plan for the county but this is not designed to handle overflow from elsewhere," Bradshaw said at a hastily called news conference.Bradshaw described the situation as a "danger to this community and it's going to put a real strain on the resources."The sheriff described the program as "catch and release," adding it "isn't right" and he hopes plans change."To take this type of influx of illegal immigrants from another location and to bring them to Palm Beach County is not only a public safety problem, because we don't what know the backgrounds on these people are, we don't know what documentation the Border Patrol has to identify who they are or what their criminal background is, if any. And they're just going to walk into the community."Bradshaw said he learned about the federal government's plans earlier this week and has been told to expect the arrivals to begin in two weeks with no "end date" given.Why are they coming to Florida?Some of those held at the border with Texas mentioned Florida as their final destination, Bradshaw said.“Immigrants play a valuable role in American society and folks seeking refuge should be treated with dignity," U.S. Rep Lois Frankel, a Democrat who represents Palm Beach County, said in a statement. "By threatening to move migrants from the border to Palm Beach County, the Trump Administration is using human beings as political pawns. Our office is seeking more information.”Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' office also said he wasn't informed of the plan and the counties don't have the resources to take in the "infux of illegal immigrants." The Republican governor has been supportive of President Donald Trump's tough immigration policies.Shortly after Rubio's tweet, Broward County said in a news release that officials will be transporting the migrants "to alleviate the highly publicized problems at the U.S.-Mexico border."Broward Mayor Mark Bogen said there has been no designated shelters or funding to house them, feed them and keep them safe. “This is a humanitarian crisis. We will do everything possible to help these people. If the president will not provide us with financial assistance to house and feed these people, he will be creating a homeless encampment,” Bogen said.Broward County plans to ask all charities, nonprofits, businesses and other resources to try to help the migrants. “This is irresponsible policy. To bring hundreds of people here every week without providing the necessary resources to house and feed them is inhumane," Bogen said. "Although our commission has not had the chance to address this issue, in my opinion, the people that we can’t find shelter for, and will become homeless, I would suggest that we bring them to the Trump hotels and ask the president to open his heart and home as well."Trump has threatened people who cross the border seeking asylum to be transported to communities that are considered immigrant friendly.Broward County is not a "sanctuary city" and the Florida Senate passed a bill this year banning such communities in the state. "Sanctuary cities" protect undocumented immigrants from deportation or prosecution, despite federal immigration law."The Trump administration provided no information about this alleged proposal to members of Congress representing Broward or Palm Beach counties," U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Democrat, said in a statement. "My colleagues and I representing Broward County and Palm Beach County have requested more information from DHS.”